Priest killed for urinating near cremation spot: Police

A 20-year-old man was arrested on Wednesday night for allegedly killing the 90-year-old priest, who was found dead at Kadarpur village in Sector-65, as the latter had urinated near a cremation spot just beside the temple premises, said police on Thursday

A 20-year-old man was arrested on Wednesday night for allegedly killing the 90-year-old priest, who was found dead at Kadarpur village in Sector-65, as the latter had urinated near a cremation spot just beside the temple premises, said police on Thursday.

Priest killed for urinating near cremation spot: Police

The victim, Govind Das, was found with his head severed from his body at his room inside the Baba Mohanram Teejan temple on early Wednesday morning. A native of Uttarakhand, Das was looking after the temple for 35 years, said police.

Police said the accused, Chaman (identified by his first name), a resident of Ratanpur Dhani located near Kadarpur village, was arrested from his village on Wednesday night.

Police said Chaman’s uncle Baba Burra (56) died more than two-and-a-half years ago and was cremated near the temple on the southern side. Police said a tomb was erected on the spot and Chaman looked after it.

Assistant commissioner of police (crime) Preet Pal Sangwan said Chaman spotted Das urinating near the cremation spot on early Tuesday morning. There was an exchange of words between Chaman and Das after the latter was spotted urinating near the cremation spot.

During investigation, police came to know that due to old age, Das may not have realised that he was urinating at a cremation spot.

“Chaman took it as an act of disrespect to his departed uncle. Just before midnight on Tuesday, he entered the temple and decapitated the priest with a machete while he was asleep. Chaman committed the murder in a fit of rage,” said Sangwan.

After committing the murder, Chaman stole the mobile phone of the priest, changed his clothes and returned home. The mobile phone became the major lead that helped police to zero in on the suspect.

Police said Chaman was found with the phone when he was picked up for questioning. “During interrogation, he confessed to have killed the priest,” said Sangwan.

Based on Chaman’s statements, police recovered the murder weapon from near the temple premises, said the ACP.

“The accused has studied till Class VIII. He used to consume psychotropic substances. It can’t be ruled out whether he consumed a similar substance before killing Das in a fit of rage,” said Sangwan.

A senior police officer privy to the investigation said no one from Kadarpur or Ratanpur Dhani had any suspicion on Chaman but technical and human intelligence helped in cracking the murder case.