Traces of alcohol have been found in the body of slain manager of Vaishnava Uttaradi Mutt, Srinivasa Achar, police said on Sunday.
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The killer had first strangled the 40-year-old official, hacked his forehead with a sharp object and then thrust a knife on his neck.
Further enquiries revealed that the land owned by the mutt was in the name of Srinivasa Achar.
Police said they were finding it difficult to question the Hindi-speaking Ramayanji, who had come to relieve the mutt manager of his official duties enabling him to attend his mother's last rites in Bihar.
Ramayanji had stayed with Srinivasa Achar on the night of the murder.
Meanwhile, the body of the priest lay at the mortuary of the Chengalpattu medical college after postmortem awaiting relatives, police said.