Jaipur: Taking cognisance of the incident where a temple priest was burnt alive by the land mafia, Rajasthan Governor Kalraj Mishra on Saturday spoke to Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on the phone about the situation.
Meanwhile, thousands of villagers protested in Rajasthan’s Bukna village in Karauli district against the brutal murder of temple priest Babulal Vaishnav while the victim’s family refused to perform the last rites, seeking action and financial assistance.
Expressing worry about such incidents, Mishra spoke with Gehlot at length and also discussed a minor’s rape case reported from Barmer. He voiced his worry about the deteriorating law and order situation in the state.
The Chief Minister said that the state government has taken cognisance of the matter and the police are carrying out a thorough investigation. The accused will not be spared he said, according to a press note issued by the Governor’s office.
Gehlot said the government is keeping a vigilant eye on the law and order arrangement and officials have been directed to take strict action, said the press note.
On Saturday, thousands of people gathered in Bukna village to protest against the murder of the temple priest.
The priest was burnt alive by the land mafia while he was trying to stop them from encroaching upon the temple land.
The victim’s family has demanded financial aid of Rs 50 lakh, a government job, security to them and the immediate arrest of the accused.
The villagers have threatened that the last rites of the priest will not be performed till the demands are met.
At the time of filing this report, Rajya Sabha MP Kirori Lal Meena had reached Bukna village and was sitting on dharna in support of the villagers’ demands, seeking justice for the victim’s family.
Meena said that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi should come to Bukna and meet the victim’s family.
Meena said that he will continue to sit on dharna until justice is delivered.
The priest, Babulal Vaishnav of the Radha Gopal Ji temple in Bukna village in Karauli district, died in SMS Hospital in Jaipur on Thursday while being treated for burn injuries.
Around six people had allegedly poured petrol on the temple priest and set him on fire when he tried to stop them from encroaching on the temple land. The priest was rushed to the local hospital from where he was shifted to the Jaipur hospital. He breathed his last on Thursday evening.
On Friday, Brahmin organisations staged a protest near the mortuary of the hospital demanding action against the local Police Station in-charge, transfer of the case to another circle office, a government job and compensation for the family. A team of police officials assured them that their demands would be fulfilled. It was only then that the family members took the body to the village, said Suresh Mishra, a Brahmin leader.
Meanwhile, the BJP sent a three-member team consisting of Alka Gurjar, MP Ramcharan Bohra and former BJYM leader Jitendra Meena to the village on Saturday for a probe.
