Mystery death at India monastery

Kanchipuram is southern India's leading temple town

The manager of a Hindu monastery in India's Tamil Nadu state has been found dead with stab wounds, police say.

The body of Srinivasachar was found in a pool of blood in the 150-year-old Uttaradi Mutt in the southern town of Kanchipuram on Thursday, reports say.

Kanchipuram has been rocked by the arrests of two Hindu religious leaders belonging to another monastery, who are charged with murdering a former aide.

Police have so far not commented on how Srinivasachar, 40, might have died.

There is no indication the discovery of the body on Thursday is in any way linked to the earlier murder charges.

The Uttaradi Mutt was set up to look after pilgrims from the northern Indian state of Bihar.

Temple killing

Southern India's leading temple town recently saw the arrest of prominent Hindu seer, Sri Jayendra Saraswathi, on charges of killing another temple official.

Jayendra Saraswathi was bailed after two months in jail

The religious leader, who is also known as the Shankaracharya of Kanchi and heads the influential Kanchi Shankara Mutt religious establishment, was freed on bail earlier this month.

His deputy, Vijayendra Saraswathi, is still in custody in connection with the investigation.

Prosecutors allege that the two men conspired to murder a former aide, Sankararaman, who was killed last September.

Police say the seer and his deputy hired hit men to carry out the murder. Both men have denied any role in the killing.

More than 20 others have also been arrested in connection with the killing.