Priest cremated in Karauli after family’s demands met

JAIPUR: The negotiation between the family of the priest, who was burnt alive in Karauli on Wednesday and died on Thursday night, and officials finally reached an end with the latter agreeing to most of the demands, including transfer of Sapotra SHO and patwari.
The victim’s family will be given a compensation of Rs 10 lakh along with a contractual job for one of the members. The villagers called off their protest and the priest was cremated on Saturday evening. The family had initially refused to cremate the victim till their demands were met and even threatened to bring the body to Jaipur to agitate here. One of the five accused has been arrested while another one was detained.
The victim was identified as 55-year-old Babulal Vaishnav, while the accused was identified as Kailash Meena. The incident is of Bukna village in Karauli where Vaishnav was the priest of Radha Gopal temple.
Karauli SP Mridul Kachawa told STOI, "The victim’s body was brought to his village on Friday evening, but at that time, the cremation could not be done. On Saturday, the family put forth certain demands and after daylong talks, we agreed to their demands." Officials also claimed that teams are at work to trace the remaining accused and adequate security has been provided to the priest’s family.
While the family had initially demanded Rs 50 lakh and finally were assured of getting Rs 10 lakh. Apart from this, they will also be extended help from Indira Aawas Yojana. The cremation was finally done on Saturday evening before sunset. On Friday itself, cops had assured the family that role of the local police would be looked into by an Additional SP rank officer, but due to immense pressure from various sides, it was decided to transfer out the SHO and patwari
According to officials, another version of the incident is that the priest set himself on fire, but his statement before he died against the accused is considered sacrosanct and a case of murder under IPC Section 302 has been registered against the accused.
In his statement, the victim said that he, along with his family, did farming on 15 bighas of temple land which the accused had apparently been trying to grab illegally. On Wednesday, around 10am, Meena and four others came to the victim’s house following which they had an argument. During this time, Meena allegedly threw petrol on the priest and set him on fire and he was referred to SMS Hospital in Jaipur, but did not survive leading to protests by Brahmin community across the state. As per the village norms, no one lit a stove till the cremation.
Sources told STOI that the land dispute had also reached the village panchayat which had asked Meena not to interfere and let the priest continue to live there.
Apart from getting nationwide attention, the matter gained political momentum as MP Kirorilal Meena was also part of the dharna staged by the villagers and a three-member team reached the victim’s village as well. The deceased priest is survived by wife and seven children.
Guv calls up CM
Governor Kalraj Mishra held a telephonic conversation with CM Ashok Gehlot on Saturday expressing concern over the law and order as well as crime situation in the state, including burning of the temple priest in Karauli and gang-rape of a minor girl in Barmer. The CM assured him that all the accused in the various cases will be brought to justice and officials have been asked to conduct a thorough investigation.