Rajasthan priest cremated after govt speaks to family, locals

Babu Lal Vaishnav, the priest who died of injuries on Thursday after he was allegedly set on fire over a land dispute in Karauli district, was cremated on Saturday after authorities spoke to family members and local residents who had earlier refused to cremate the body unless the government fulfilled their demands.

The Opposition BJP is citing the crime as the latest incident in what the party calls a deteriorating law and order situation in the state. On Friday, BJP Rajya Sabha MP Kirodi Lal Meena and the party’s MP from Karauli-Dholpur, Manoj Rajoria, were among the saffron party leaders who joined the family members in a dharna in Bukna village. A three-member committee of the party also met the family on Saturday.

The impasse over the demands of the family continued throughout Saturday before authorities were able to negotiate an agreement with Vaishnav’s family members.

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“If we sit with the body for more days, then it will be said that politics is being done over a dead body. Therefore, it has been decided to cremate the body. A child from the aggrieved family will be provided a job on contractual basis, a house will be built (for the family) and the government will pay them a compensation of Rs 10 lakh,” Meena told reporters on Saturday.

Karauli Additional SP, Prakash Chand, said, “So far, we have arrested the main accused Kailash Meena and have detained another person.”