In a cold-blooded murder attempt, a highways department engineer and an employee were thought to be mowed down when they were supervising demolition of an unauthorised temple in Kanyakumari district in Tamil Nadu.

Antony Xavier, an assistant executive engineer, was seriously injured in the attack on  February 6 in Udayarvilai village and was admitted to a government hospital here. Sundaram, the employee, and Edwin, police constable, were also injured.

Police believe that a village headman, who was responsible for the temple constructed on the  government land, could have been behind the murder attempt.

They have arrested two persons who were being questioned.
The incident occurred in broad daylight before scores of people.