Jalore (Rajasthan): The Rajasthan police Sunday arrested a priest for allegedly not allowing a newlywed Dalit couple to offer prayers at a temple in Jalore, officials said. A video of the incident on Saturday also went viral purportedly showing Vela Bharti stopping the couple at the gate of the temple at Neelkanth village under the Ahore subdivision of the district.
The video also captures the ensuing argument between them. The aggrieved family members then approached the police and filed a case against the priest under the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. On Monday, SP Harshvardhan Agarwala himself visited the temple and sought details from the locals on the matter and later the arrest was made. "We have registered a case under SC/ST Act against the priest and arrested him," Jalore Superintendent of Police Harsh Vardhan Agarwalla said on Sunday.
According to the complaint, Kuka Ram's baraathad reached Neelkanth village on Saturday and the couple wanted to offer a coconut at the temple after their wedding. "When we reached there, the priest stopped us at the gate and asked us to offer the coconut outside. He asked us not to enter the temple as we are from the Dalit community," according to a complaint filed by Tara Ram, the bride's cousin.