Rajasthan: 50-year-old temple priest set on fire by land mafia in Karauli

After recording the highest rape incidents in the state as per the National Crime Bureau Records, Rajasthan added another black chapter to its history under Congress government when a priest in Karauli district was put to flames by land mafia on Thursday.

A few goons, counting six in number, poured petrol over him in broad daylight hours of Thursday. The poor priest succumbed to injuries on Thursday evening in Jaipur.

The deceased priest, Babulal Vaishnav, in his statement given to police, said he was looking after a Radha Krishna temple in the village along with his family.

The surrounding land allotted on the temple’s name was being used by them for farming. On Thursday, at around 10 am, accused Kailash came along with a few people on the temple’s land and started putting up tin sheds on the land. When he objected, they poured petrol on him and put him to flames.”

He was rushed to SMS Hospital where he breathed his last on Thursday evening. Local residents confirmed that priest sustained critical burn injuries after being put to flames. He was referred to primary health centre of his village by his family members however, he was referred to other Jaipur hospital looking at its critical burn injuries.

They said that the priest had levelled the temple land nearby which was illegally captured by land mafia. The priest had also requested the panch of his village to remove the encroachment by the land mafia. These panches in their decision clearly announced that no one can encroach the temple land.

However, the land mafia put a deaf ear to panch’s decision and on Thursday morning, they installed tin sheds on it. When the priest stopped, they poured petrol on him and put him to flames.

Meanwhile, police officials confirmed that one accused has been arrested within 24 hours of the crime, the manhunt continued for other five accused till the filing of this report

Karauli SP Mridul Kachhawa confirmed in a press note that police have arrested the key accused within 24 hours of the crime reported in village Bukna.

Looking at the gravity of the crime, the SP formed teams and investigation started to trace the criminals. While the main accused has been arrested, hunt is on to nab other accused in the case, said police officials.

Meanwhile, priest’s nephew in his FIR, said that six people were engaged in the crime who sprinkled petrol on the priest after they finished levelling the land.

Meanwhile, former chief minister Vasundhara Raje termed this incident as a highly condemnable crime. Looking at the rising crime incidents, it is clear that Dalit, women, traders, kids, no one is safe in the state. The state government needs to wake up from slumber and give the harshest of the punishment to the accused in this case, she added.

Sarv Brahmin Mahasabha members have demanded a strict action against the accused.

It needs to be mentioned here Rajasthan has been making news since last 20 months for all wrong reasons since the Congress government has been formed here. Number of rape cases, murders, loot incidents have gone higher in last few months, says the NCRB figures released recently.