Victim killed by goons he hired to eliminate fellow priest: Cops

KARNAL: Five people have been arrested in the murder case of a Kaithal priest, police said on Monday.

Mahant Rambhaj Dass of Sangan Dera was beaten to death last month.

The accused are Gurmit, Rajan, Vikas, Manjit Singh and Anil, brother-in-law of main accused Ajay Mehra.

They were nabbed for allegedly providing shelter to the main accused.

Kaithal superintendent of police (SP) Shashank Kumar

Sawan said during the investigation, it was found that the mahant had allegedly hired the accused on contract of Rs 5 lakh to eliminate 98-year-old priest Raghav Dass Shashtri in order to secure the ‘gaddi’ of historical Hanuman Temple.

“But the contract killers reportedly had a clash with the priest wherein the latter sustained fatal injuries,” he added.

As per the police, main accused Ajay had on June 24 called Rambhaj near Kharak Pandwa canal. Ajay and his five accomplices, who had arrived in a stolen vehicle, allegedly attacked the mahant with sticks before fleeing the spot. Rambhaj’s aid Kulbir tried to intervene, but couldn’t stop the accused from pushing off with his Swift Dzire car, mobile phone and purse, the police said.

The SP said on the basis of Kulbir’s statement, two accused, Gurmit and Rajan, were arrested.

“Later, with their help, we managed to arrest the other accused, who have been sent in three days’ police remand,” he added.

As per the SP, four more accused, including Ajay Mehra, were still absconding and teams were conducting raids to nab them.