Three Arrested for Murder of Priest and ‘Sevadar’ at Baba Bharamal temple in Uttarakhand

GG News Bureau
Khatima, 29th Jan. 
The police on Sunday apprehended three individuals for the double murder of a priest and a ‘sevadar’ at the Baba Bharamal temple near Khatima in Uttarakhand’s Udham Singh Nagar district.

The accused in custody include a former ‘sevadar’, an ‘aghori’ baba, and a known criminal.

According to Senior Superintendent of Police Manjunath TC, the temple priest Baba Harigiri Maharaj and ‘sevadar’ Rupa were brutally beaten with sticks during the night of January 4 and January 5. The assailants also stole cash and other belongings from the scene.

The police have identified the arrested individuals as Kalicharan, a former ‘sevadar’ at the temple, Rampal, an ‘aghori’ baba, and Pawan, a criminal from Pilibhit district in Uttar Pradesh.

During the investigation, it was revealed that Kalicharan and Rampal had attended a ‘bhandara’ (community kitchen) organized at the temple. After partaking in the meal, they remained on the temple premises. Later that night, after consuming alcohol, Baba Harigiri reprimanded them, leading to an altercation. Subsequently, the duo conspired to murder the priest and enlisted the help of Pawan.

The attack occurred on the day of the incident, with the priest being targeted first. Rupa, who rushed to his defense, was killed in the assault, while another ‘sevadar’ named Nanhe sustained injuries.

The police have recovered stolen items, including Rs 4,700 in cash, a mobile phone, and an internet dongle belonging to the priest.

Due to the absence of CCTV cameras at the scene and the limited information provided by the injured ‘sevadar’, the investigation posed a challenge. The police interrogated over 1,200 individuals and examined more than 1,000 cameras during the course of the investigation. As a result, the officer announced a reward of Rs 2,500 for the police team.

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