JAIPUR: High tension prevails in parts of Rajasthan's Jaisalmer district after a farmer, who had opposed illegal hunting, was brutally murdered in Dangri village of Fatehgarh subdivision late on Tuesday night.
According to the local police, farmer Khet Singh had tried to stop a group of hunters from killing deer around 10 days ago. Angered by his opposition, the accused attacked him with a sharp weapon while he was asleep in his field on Tuesday night.
Seriously injured, Khet Singh lay unattended in the field the entire night. After he was spotted, villagers rushed him to the hospital on Wednesday morning, where doctors declared him dead.
The victim’s brother, Swaroop Singh, lodged a complaint at Sangar police station. About 10 days ago, villagers Ladu Khan and Alam Khan had come to hunt deer with guns.
When Khet Singh resisted, an argument broke out, and the accused even attempted to snatch his goat. Before leaving, they had threatened him. Swaroop Singh claimed that the same men carried out the fatal attack.
District SP Abhishek Shivhare said three accused, Ladu Khan, Alam Khan and Khete Khan—have been detained, and their vehicle has been seized. He stated that the primary motive behind the murder appears to be Khet Singh’s resistance to hunting.
He added that on Wednesday evening, violence escalated in Dangri, where four roadside shops, including a tyre repair shop, were set on fire. Additional police forces have been deployed, and restrictions have been imposed on outsiders entering the village.
“The situation is under control. Villagers have been urged to remain indoors. Action will also be taken against those spreading misleading or provocative posts on social media,” Shivhare said.
Condemning the incident, Congress district president Ummed Singh Tanwar wrote on social media: “Burning the property of innocent people in revenge in Dangri is completely wrong. Police should take strict action against the guilty. No one should take the law into their own hands.”
The murder has triggered outrage among villagers, leading to sporadic incidents of arson. The administration has tightened security across the area to prevent further violence. Authorities fear the incident could escalate tensions beyond the village, making it a district-wide concern.