Mayawati attacks UP govt over Gonda Priest's killing; demands stern action on culprits

Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati on Monday, October 12 once again castigated the UP government for its poor handling of the law and order situation in the state following the brutal incident where a temple priest was allegedly shot at in Itia Thok, Gonda. Comparing the deadly attack to the Rajasthan incident, Mayawati said Temple priests are no longer safe in the 'saint's government'.

"Like Rajasthan, a deadly attack on the temple priest in Gonda district of UP by land mafias with the intention of occupying the land of the temple is very shameful, the saint is no longer safe in the saint's government. What could be a worse law and order situation?" read Mayawati's tweet that was roughly translated.

Mayawati further demanded that the UP government should take stern action against the culprits by taking serious cognizance of all aspects of the matter. She further said the property of all the land mafias related to Gonda incident must also be confiscated and asked the UP govt to increase the safety of temple priests.

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Temple Priest Shot At In Gonda

Gonda police on Sunday, October 11, registered a case against four people after a temple priest was allegedly shot at in Itia Thok in Uttar Pradesh. The priest of Ram Janaki temple in Itia Thok was allegedly attacked while he was asleep, the police said. The investigation in the case is currently underway the police informed.

"A temple priest was shot last night at a village in Itia Thok, Gonda. He was admitted to a hospital. A case has been registered against 4 people," said Shailesh Kumar Pandey, Gonda Superintendent of Police (SSP) on Sunday. The priest had a land dispute with the accused persons, the SSP added.

Temple priest dies after being set on fire in Rajasthan

Meanwhile, in another similar incident in a different state, a temple priest died after being set on fire by five people over a land dispute in Rajasthan's Karauli district, police said on Friday. The five accused on Wednesday allegedly poured petrol on Babu Lal Vaishnav and set him on fire in Bukna village. Soon after which he was referred to the SMS hospital in Jaipur in a critical condition where he succumbed to injuries on Thursday night. Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Sunday has also directed officials to get the killing of a temple priest in Karauli district probed by the CID-CB. 

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