Nanded, May 24 (IANS): A sadhu was robbed and murdered at his ashram here in Maharashtra, a police official said on Sunday.

According to Nanded Superintendent of Police Vijaykumar Magar, at least two yet unidentified persons sneaked into the ashram late on Saturday and threw chilli powder in Shivacharya Nirvanarudra Pashupatinath Maharaj's eyes, blinding him.

The criminals looted Rs 69,000, his laptop and other valuables from the victim's bedroom totalling around Rs 1.50 lakh, besides his car keys. As Shivacharya tried to grapple with them, they killed him.

The criminals sped off in the monk's car but crashed into the main gate of the ashram.

"Hearing the crash noise in late hours, around 8-10 ashram inmates ran outside and saw the duo jumping onto a motorcycle and speeding off into the darkness. Later, we found the body of one of the robbers a short distance away from the ashram," Magar told IANS.

In view of the sensitivity of the incident, Magar said around five crack teams have been formed and fanned out into the district to nab the absconding criminal.

"Robbery was the motive though the second murder may be due to rivalry or differences among the two robbers. We have identified the absconding killer and hope to arrest him soon," Magar added.

Hailing from Karnataka, Shivacharya Maharaj came to Nanded over a decade ago and set up the ashram which he ran along with a band of followers.