Raj: Elderly priest burnt by miscreants dies during treatment, family stage protest

An elderly priest, who after being burnt by a group of miscreants was undergoing treatment at a hospital in Udaipur, succumbed to his injuries on Saturday, police said.

The family of the deceased refused to perform his final rites and staged a protest in front of the Deogarh SDM office in Rajsamand, demanding government jobs for the next of kin of the victim. The demonstration was later joined by Rajsamand MP Diya Kumari along with other BJP leaders and locals with the body kept inside an ambulance.

Police said efforts were being made to pacify the family members.

Navratan Prajapad (72) and his wife sustained burn injuries when a group of around 10 people allegedly hurled a petrol bomb at him in the Rajsamand district last Sunday, they said.

According to police, the attack took place in the Heera ki Basti area where Prajapat was having dinner in a small accommodation he shares with his wife and son.

The wife sustained injuries while trying to put out the flames. Their son was unhurt.

''The priest died during treatment at the hospital in Udaipur today. His wife is also being treated in the same hospital,'' SHO Devgarh (Rajsamand) Pratap Singh said.

Prajapad had received nearly 80 per cent burn injuries, while his wife Jamna suffered 35 per cent injury.

A total of seven accused have been arrested in connection with the incident so far, the SHO said.

Some locals wanted to replace Prajapat as the priest of the Devnarayan temple. A civil court case regarding the temple land dispute was also going on in Rajsamand, they said.

Before the incident, Navratan had approached the police a few times. He had also given complaints to the Superintendent of Police (SP) and collector against the accused.

The SP had instructed the SHO of Devgarh police station to take action, but the then SHO Shaitan Singh forwarded the matter to the local chowky, following which no concrete action was taken in the matter.

After the incident, Inspector General (IG) Udaipur suspended the then SHO and the chowky incharge for negligence.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)