‘You didn’t vote for me… I won’t get any of your work done’: Watchman in Bhadohi set ablaze with petrol, dies in hospital; Village Head’s husband and son accused

A watchman in Bhadohi, who was set on fire with petrol, passed away at 5:00 AM on Tuesday morning. The elderly man, who had sustained severe burns, was undergoing treatment at BHU (Banaras Hindu University), where he breathed his last. He had gone to the Village Head’s residence to collect a pipe needed for repairing a handpump.

During this visit, an altercation broke out with the Village Head’s husband, who remarked, “You didn’t vote for me, did you? In that case, I won’t get any of your work done.” The dispute subsequently escalated into a physical altercation. Following the scuffle, the Village Head’s husband and her son doused the watchman with petrol and set him on fire. In this incident, the watchman sustained burns covering approximately 70 percent of his body. This entire incident took place in Pipergaon, located within the jurisdiction of the Gyanpur Kotwali police station.

Jais Lal Saroj (55), a resident of Pipergaon, served as a watchman for the Gyanpur Kotwali police station. His wife, Phoolkumari, has been suffering from an illness (paralysis) for the past three years. Jais Lal Saroj is survived by six children—five sons and one daughter. His sons are Kadedeen (32), Raju (30), Sanjay (25), Ashuraj (23), and Santosh (20), while his daughter is named Priya Saroj (17).

On Monday morning at 7:30 AM, Jais Lal rode his bicycle to the home of the village’s *Gram Pradhan* (Village Head), Chanda Devi, to collect a pipe required for handpump repairs. The distance between their respective homes is approximately one kilometer. Upon his arrival, the Village Head’s husband, Ramnayak, confronted him, saying, “You didn’t vote for me, did you? Then I won’t get any of your work done. Get out of my house… go to the Secretary instead.”

In response, the victim, Jais Lal Saroj, asked, “If you are the *Pradhan*, why should I go to the Secretary? Please provide the pipe needed for the handpump repairs.” His request for the pipe enraged them. Ramnayak retorted, “Don’t talk back to me; leave immediately, or else I will start beating you.” At that very moment, his son, Kamlesh, poured petrol over the victim. When the victim attempted to flee the scene, he was set on fire using a matchstick.

Upon receiving news of the incident, local villagers rushed to the spot and transported the injured elderly man to the hospital. He was initially taken in critical condition to the Maharaja Balwant Singh District Hospital in Gyanpur. From there, he was referred to the Trauma Center—and subsequently to BHU, Varanasi—for advanced medical treatment. According to his family members, he passed away early Tuesday morning while undergoing treatment.

**Son Accuses the *Pradhan’s* Husband**

The victim’s 17-year-old daughter, Priya, stated that she had gone to visit her brother’s in-laws’ home. She learned of the incident via a phone call around 8:00 AM, after which she immediately rushed back home. Meanwhile, the deceased’s son, Santosh Saroj, has alleged that his father was doused with petrol and burned alive. He has accused Ramnath Yadav (alias Ramnayak) and his son, Kamlesh Yadav, of being involved in the incident.

**Victim’s Family Demands ₹1 Crore**

The deceased’s elder brother, Babu Ram Saroj, has demanded strict action against the accused. He stated that rigorous measures must be taken against the culprits to ensure justice for the family. Additionally, he has demanded financial assistance of ₹1 crore from the government, a plot of land measuring one *bigha*, and that the government assume responsibility for the education of the deceased’s children. He further demanded that “bulldozer action” (demolition) be taken against the properties of those accused in the incident.

**Police Force Deployed in the Village**

Given the situation in the village, a heavy police force has been deployed. During this time, various political and social activists—including Bhim Army District President Pramod Kumar Chaudhary, District General Secretary Vinod Gautam, Azad Samaj Party State Secretary Ashok Gautam, and the Organizing Secretary—arrived to meet with the victim’s family. Bahujan Samaj Party District President Shiv Narayan Gautam, Mirzapur Division In-charge Ramashankar Saroj, Pappu, and Rajesh Gautam were also present. Furthermore, Lok Janshakti Party State President Rajiv Paswan, District President Vikas Dubey, Organizing Secretary Dhananjay Dubey, and State General Secretaries Ashutosh Gaharwar and Avneesh Tiwari also reached the scene.

**Superintendent of Police Abhimanyu Manglik Stated:**

“We have received information regarding the incident, and the accused have been taken into custody for interrogation. The police are conducting an investigation while taking all aspects of the case into consideration.” The police have registered a case against Kamlesh Yadav in this matter under Sections 109(1), 118(1), and 101(1), as well as under the SC/ST Act. Further legal action will be initiated only after the investigation is complete.

Raj Kumar | Bhadohi

Courtesy: Hindi News