Lucknow, July 30 - A man caught stealing from a temple in Uttar Pradesh's Sitapur district had his fingers chopped off before being handed over to police by local people Thursday, police said.

'Bhupendra Singh, 45, was caught red-handed early Thursday while he was stealing the money offered by devotees at the Kanarkhi temple in Sitapur,' Deputy Superintendent of Police Kuldeep Narayan told IANS over phone.

'After beating Singh, some of the locals cut his fingers using a sickle. One of Singh's friends, who was waiting outside the temple, escaped after hearing the scream,' he added.

According to police, Singh is undergoing treatment in the district hospital in Sitapur, some 80 km from Lucknow.

A case would also be registered against those involved in cutting Singh's fingers, police said.

In the past, Singh has been caught committing thefts on several occasions in other localities of Sitapur, police added.