Goons set mahant on fire inside Pratapgarh temple

Udaipur: Two unidentified men attacked mahant Ramjivan Das and set him on fire in the wee hours of Friday at Mahu Mahadev temple under Gadariyawas Gram Panchayat in Dhariyawad block of Pratapgarh district. A day ago, these men attempted to kill the mahant and stabbed him with a knife.

Ramjivan Das, who was referred and admitted in Udaipur Civil Hospital, is better now and out of danger, Pratapgarh SP Anil Beniwal said.

A special investigation team, FSL experts and a dog squad visited the crime spot and recreated the scene for detailed investigation. The SP said that an inquiry is already underway and the assailants would be nabbed soon.

Mahant Ramjivan Das was going to attend the nature's call around 3.30 am when two men barged into the temple and held him. They doused him with kerosene oil kept inside the room and set him on fire. The priest jumped into the temple kund (pond) to save himself while the assailants fled.

After getting information, Dhariyawad SHO Dungar Singh arrived on the crime spot. The mahant was treated at the nearest hospital and later referred to Udaipur.

He has sustained severe burn injuries on the upper portion of the body and hands. On Thursday morning too, two men had entered the temple in odd hours and when Ramjivan Das questioned them, they asked mobile charger and when he said there was no charger, they tried to stab him. A police complaint was made by Ramjivan Das against unknown men then too.

Legislator Gautamlal Meena had visited to inquire about his wellbeing after the stabbing incident on Thursday.

Ramjivan Das is said to be quite popular in the area for his simplicity. Large number of devotees who come to the temple situated near triveni sangam (confluence of 3 rivers) also meet the priest who has vast knowledge on spirituality. The attacks on Mahant thus incited a spur of outrage and locals demanded immediate arrest of the accused.