Jaipur, October 9
A priest died after allegedly being set on fire by five people who wanted to invade temple grounds in the Karauli district of Rajasthan, police said on Friday.
The five defendants allegedly poured gasoline on Babu Lal Vaishnav and set him on fire in the village of Bukna on Wednesday. He was referred to SMS hospital in Jaipur in critical condition. Vaishnav succumbed to injuries Thursday night.
“The main defendant, identified as Kailash Meena, has been arrested while another defendant was arrested,” said Karauli Police Superintendent Mridul Kachhawa.
The SP said that a case of attempted murder was registered at the Sapotra police station and that it had turned into a murder case after the priest’s death.
The defendant wanted to invade the temple land, police said.
The chief minister, Ashok Gehlot, called the incident extremely regrettable and reprehensible and said the culprits will not be spared.
“The government of Rajasthan is with the grieving family. The main defendant in the incident has been arrested and action is being taken. The guilty will not be spared, ”he tweeted in Hindi.
Such acts have no place in a civilized society, he said.
Contact the state government about the incident, BJP State President Satish Poonia told reporters: “There is no fear of the law among criminals who roam freely under the government of Congress. People live in fear, while criminals are not afraid. This is the situation in which the chief minister himself has the household portfolio, ”BJP state president Satish Poonia told reporters.
Condemning the incident, former Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje said in a statement that from the way the crime graph is increasing in the state, it is clear that no woman, child, elderly person or Dalit is safe in the state.
“The congressional state government should now awaken from slumber and achieve family justice through strict punishment for the guilty,” he said.
The head of the Rajasthan Congress, Govind Singh Dotasra, said police have already captured the main defendant.
Vaishnav’s relatives have demanded action against the SHO, investigation by a deputy ranking official, compensation and government work for a family member. PTI
