Brick kiln owner killed in Rajasthan's Pratapgarh; protestors block highway, set shops ablaze

Jaipur, A brick kiln owner was allegedly stabbed to death in Rajasthan's Pratapgarh district after an altercation after which a dhaba and liquor shop were set ablaze by his kin, police said on Tuesday.

The 38-year-old kiln owner's family and angry locals also blocked a highway and pelted stones at the police personnel after he was allegedly murdered by a group of people, which included the dhaba owner, after an argument over dust from his kiln, they added.

The incident took place late Monday evening in Kherot village under the Kotwali police station limts of Pratapgarh, the police said.

DSP Herambh Joshi said the dhaba owner Jaisingh Lalana, the main accused, has been detained and is being interrogated.

Joshi said Ghanshyam Prajapat's brick kin and Lalana's dhaba are located nearby. The two allegedly had an argument a few days ago over the issue of dust flying from the kiln.

On Monday evening, they had another altercation on the same issue during which Prajapat allegedly slapped an employee of the dhaba and went home after the incident, the DSP said.

At night, six people, including Lalana, allegedly arrived at Prajapat's house on two motorbikes and took him outside.

After the group allegedly thrashed Prajapat, Lalana attacked him with a knife, killing him on the spot. The accused fled the spot after the murder, he added.

Agitated over Prajapat's murder, his family members set the dhaba and liquor shop on fire at night, pelted stones at police vehicles and blocked the Pratapgarh-Ratlam highway, they said.

The blockade was cleared after pacifying the protestors, however, additional police force has been deployed on the spot, they added.

The DSP said teams have been formed to nab the remaining accused.

The body is kept in the mortuary of the district hospital and is yet to be sent for postmortem, the police said.

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