Rajasthan priest who was set on fire cremated after family relents

The temple priest from Rajasthan who died on Thursday evening due to burn injuries after he was attacked by a group of men over a land dispute, was cremated on Saturday (October 10) after his family relented and allowed the last rites to be performed.

According to NDTV, the police have also detained two people in connection with the case and three others have been named in the FIR.

The main accused in the case, identified as Kailash Meena, has been arrested, while another has been rounded up, Superintendent of Police, Karauli, Mridul Kachhawa, had said on Friday.

A case of attempt to murder was registered at Sapotra police station and it was converted into a murder case after the death of the priest, he had said.

Earlier, the family of the temple priest in Rajasthan’s Karauli district had refused to cremate his body till their demands are fulfilled by the state government.

The victim’s family has demanded a compensation of Rs 50 lakh, a government job for one of its members and early arrest of the accused.

Babu Lal Vaishnav was caught by five people, who wanted to encroach on temple land, near an agriculture farm in Bukna village on Wednesday and set on fire after pouring petrol on him, according to police.

He was admitted in a critical condition to the SMS hospital in Jaipur where he died on Thursday night.

Vaishnav’s family members said they will not cremate his body till the state government fulfils all their demands.

BJP MP Kirodi Lal Meena met the aggrieved family in Bukna and sat on a dharna demanding justice for them on Saturday.

Related news: Rajasthan priest set on fire over land dispute, succumbs to injuries

“People holding responsible positions should stand with the victim’s family members so that such incidents are not repeated. I am sitting on dharna with his family members and local public representatives to demand justice. The Ashok Gehlot government should wake up from slumber and ensure justice,” Meena said in a tweet.

A three-member committee constituted by the BJP also reached the village to prepare a factual report on the incident.

“The Rajasthan government is insensitive to law and order, and justice. In this incident with the priest, the Rajasthan government assured help to the victims family, but so far no help has been given to the victims family,” Jaipur MP Ramcharan Bohra, a member of the BJP committee, said.

He said there is anger across the state. There is a demand from all corners that the culprits in this incident should get the harshest punishment and help be given to the victims family.

Meanwhile, Rajasthan Governor Kalraj Mishra held a meeting with Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and discussed the law and order situation in the state, Raj Bhawan sources said.

The governor discussed with Gehlot the law and order situation in the context of several incidents, including the Karauli incident and the alleged gangrape of two minor sisters in Barmer, they said.

Mishra expressed concern over these incidents. Gehlot told him that the state government has taken cognisance of all these incidents and the police are investigating them, the sources said.

The chief minister assured the governor that the culprits will not be spared and action will be taken in all these incidents after the investigation has been completed, they said.

(With inputs from agencies)