E-Paper
Priest’s body found hanging in temple in land dispute in Rae Bareli
The priest did not succumb to pressure despite attacks, life threats, monetary offers and fake cases, say supporters.
The dispute over possession of land worth several crores, belonging to Ram Janki Temple trust in Rae Bareli, led to the death of priest Baba Prem Das, 60, whose body was found hanging from the ceiling of the main entrance of the temple.
According to his supporters, the priest faced threats, monetary offers, petitions in court and several criminal cases against him while trying to free the trust property from land-grabbers.
Mauni Baba, who is associated with the temple trust and lodged a report of Baba Prem Das’s murder, alleged in his FIR that the trust had a dispute with the owner of Panchsheel Vidyalaya BN Maurya who had illegally occupied 11 bigha land of the trust for the college.
Mauni Baba accused Maurya and his aides of murder and concealment of evidence.
A local resident, Mohan (he goes by one name) said Baba Prem Das kept on running from pillar to post to get the temple trust land freed from illegal possession and stood tall against the land grabbers till his death.
“The district administration finally razed the college boundary wall after the protestors turned violent and alleged that officials were siding with the college owner and delaying compliance of the court order directing officials to get the temple trust’s land vacated,” he said.
Mohan said the priest received life threats many a times and was attacked too. “He was offered money and falsely implicated in criminal cases but all this did not deter him,” he said.
In a video recorded a month ago, Baba Prem Das had claimed that some people approached him and offered ₹11-12 lakh to settle the issue.
HT is in possession of the video.
Baba Prem Das also alleged in the video that the registrar of Unchahar Shyam Babu Lal also asked him to settle the issue with the college owner when he met him to get the trust land vacated in compliance of the apex court’s order dated April 12, 2018 .
The priest had said attempts were made on his life on four occasions in the past but he survived.
“Life threats were issued to me many a times and six criminal cases, including five rape cases and one for eve-teasing, were falsely registered against me,” he said in the video.
A senior police official confirmed that six criminal cases had been registered against the priest in the past but they were expunged as no substantial evidence was found against him.
“The complainant in one of the cases had moved the court against the investigation following which a non-bailable warrant was issued against him,” the officer said.
