Jhansi: A day after a 62-year-old temple priest, arrested on charges of allegedly sexually harassing a nine-year-old girl, died by suicide inside a police station in Jhansi, SSP BBGTS Murthy on Tuesday suspended the station house officer of Gursarain police station, along with a sub-inspector and two constables, for negligence in duty.SO Rajesh Kumar Dubey, SI Vineet Kumar, and constables Rakesh and Anand were placed under suspension, while a departmental inquiry was ordered against them. An FIR was also lodged against two persons related to the survivor for abetment to suicide.Meanwhile, heavy police force was deployed in Singar village under Gursarain police station after the 62-year-old priest, Rajendra Prasad Dewedi, died by suicide by hanging himself finside the toilet at the police station on Monday morning.Police personnel rushed him to a nearby community health centre (CHC), from where he was referred to Jhansi Medical College in a critical condition. He succumbed during treatment a few hours later.The death triggered protests by Rajendra’s family members, who alleged that he had been falsely implicated in the case and subjected to pressure at the police station.His eldest son alleged that his father had been framed following a dispute over temple land. He claimed that their family had been looking after the village temple for three generations and that his father was the third-generation priest there.He alleged that the temple premises included a large tract of land which, he claimed, several people wanted to acquire. According to him, a girl had entered the temple compound to pluck flowers, following which his father objected. He alleged that the girl’s family subsequently lodged a false complaint against his father.
