Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath took a grim view of the killings at the Bhayanaknath temple in Kudarkot area of Bidhoona and directed Director General of Police O.P. Singh and Principal Secretary (Home) Arvind Kumar to ensure that the culprits were caught within 48 hours.

The Chief Minister also announced ex gratia of Rs 5 lakh each to the bereaved families and Rs one lakh to the critically wounded.

Unidentified assailants had fatally attacked Lajja Ram and Halkeram as well as Ram Sharan, who was critically injured, on the intervening night of Tuesday and Wednesday.

The three were found tied to cots. Their bodies bore attacks with sharp-edged weapons.

Tension brewed in Auraiyya district as angry groups of people took to the streets, staged demonstrations on the highways, vandalised property and torched vehicles when the twin murders came to light on Wednesday morning.

Police was rushed to control the situation as the crowds went berserk. There were skirmishes between the protesters and the police.

Authorities ordered the suspension of Inspector incharge of Bidhoona, Akhilesh Mishra, and Constable Islam for dereliction of duty. District Magistrate Shrikant Mishra and Superintendent of Police Nageshwar Singh rushed to the spot to pacify the irate mob.

The protesters claimed that the murders were committed after a complaint to the police about cow slaughter by certain area residents.

A senior official told IANS that a probe has been ordered and that the situation was tense but under control.