Priest stabbed inside Dasna temple premises, critical

Ghaziabad: Unidentified persons stabbed and critically injured a 50-year-old priest who was visiting the Dasna Devi Temple in Ghaziabad early Tuesday, police said

Ghaziabad: Unidentified persons stabbed and critically injured a 50-year-old priest who was visiting the Dasna Devi Temple in Ghaziabad early Tuesday, police said.

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They said the victim, Nareshanand Swami from Bihar’s Samastipur, was sleeping at the temple when he was stabbed. He was rushed to the Yashoda Hospital where he is reported to be critical, police said.

The temple authorities said the attack took place around 3.30am, despite the presence of police guards. “It seems that the assailants scaled the wall and entered the temple. They attacked the priest and he suffered injuries to his throat, abdomen and other parts of the body. We have four policemen posted within the temple complex, and more at the main entrance. It appears that the assailants came to attack our chief priest, Yati Narsimhanand Saraswati, but he was asleep in another room,” said Anil Yadav, one of the temple caretakers.

Saraswati has been in news since March this year when a Muslim boy was allegedly roughed up on the temple premises when he purportedly went inside to drink water.

Following this, Saraswati was given police security after he claimed a threat to his life.

“Swami ji (the victim) arrived at the temple on August 7. Despite police security, this happened. I was asleep at the time of the incident and caretakers informed me about it later. Such attacks within a temple have taken place several times,” said Saraswati, the chief priest.

CCTV cameras on the temple premises were not working at the time of the incident, said police. “We have our own CCTV cameras outside the temple and those are being scanned. We have a provincial armed constabulary deployed at the main gate, and another set of police guards inside and outside the temple,” said Iraj Raja, superintendent of police (rural).

“Four police guards provide security cover to the chief priest. He also has private bodyguards... An investigation in the case is underway,” the officer added.

An attempt to murder case will be registered at the Masuri police station if a complaint is given, said police.

“The priest was operated on, and is in the ICU,” said Dr Sangita Garg, Yashoda Hospital.