Villagers say many Kashmiri Pandits would visit Pandey at the temple-complex — Pandey was the head of the Sharada temple in Jammu. He’s been visiting this Faridabad temple-which was built by an NGO, SOS Social and Medical Centre-since 2003.

Says Meenu Hooda: “Villagers complained to us saying that though they had given eight acres for the temple, Pandey never gave them time and met only Kashmiri Pandits. Also, the rule of SOS says that a guest cannot stay in the temple for more than 8 days but he stayed here for more than even 25 days. I asked him not to stay here.”

Records at the temple show that Pandey last stayed here in March-his last entry is on March 16, 2008. “He has not come since then. We don’t know what did he do for so many days here but he used to stay in his room and never came out. I have not met him ever,” said Ram Kesar, a gardener at the temple.