Rajasthan priest murder: CM Gehlot directs for CID-CB probe into case

Jaipur, Oct 12: Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Sunday directed officials to get the killing of a temple priest in Karauli district probed by the CID-CB. He also condemned the BJP's "attempt to give a communal colour" to a land dispute between two families, which led to the death of the priest.

"It is condemnable that the BJP gave a communal colour to the tragic incident between the Meena and Vaishnav communities of a land dispute case between two families in Bukna villlage of Sapotara. This has undermined the image of Rajasthan unnecessarily," Gehlot said in a statement.

He said the priest's death was not the result of a caste conflict, neither a pre-planned incident.

The dispute between the two families over taking the possession of a piece of land resulted in the tragic incident.

On October 6, a day before the incident, the panchayat had agreed in favour of priest Babu Lal Vaishnav, in which a majority of people of the Meena community were present.

Directions have been issued to get the case investigated by the CID-CB. Superintendent of Police (SP) Vikas Sharma has been assigned the task, the statement said.

Gehlot said the Congress government has always been striving to give protection to priests and the land that comes under various temples.

Owing to the land dispute, Vaishnav was allegedly set on fire and he died at the SMS Hospital here on Thursday. It is alleged that five people, trying to occupy the cultivated land near the temple, set ablaze the priest by spraying petrol. Two have been arrested.