On 15th February (Sunday), a priest was murdered at 8:00 am in the Sidhi district of Madhya Pradesh. The incident took place in the Kusmi police station area. The assailant struck the 75-year-old Indrabhan Dwivedi with a sickle and repeatedly stabbed him, resulting in his death. The accused was identified as 55-year-old Lala Kewat and had been arrested.
According to reports, the deceased had served as a priest at the Hanuman temple situated within the tehsil premises for many years and was returning on his moped after the Mahashivratri pooja when the unexpected incident occurred. The severity of the assault caused him to fall along with his vehicle, after which he was unable to recover. The perpetrator, who arrived at the location on a motorcycle, then stepped on his chest and cut his neck with the sharp weapon. He delivered eight blows to the chest and neck.
The priest was left in a pool of blood, convulsing in agony as the bystanders remained stunned at the brutality. The murderer attempted to flee immediately but was captured by the people. However, the victim had already succumbed to his wounds. A significant number of villagers assembled at the location upon learning of the gruesome event. The offender was then taken into custody by the authorities, and they started his interrogation.
Anti-Brahmin hatred kills another Brahmin!
— Treeni (@treeni) February 15, 2026
ALERT: Brahmin Pujari, returning from Mandir on Mahashivratri, stopped by Brahmin-hating Lala Kewat, slit his throat, stabbed his chest more than six times, in Sidhi, MP.
Locals say, Kewat family hated him for his devotion & Brahmin… pic.twitter.com/tbKqTBy3qx
Local resident Vishnu Sharma stated that Kewat has been involved in various criminal activities in the past, as reported by Dainik Bhaskar. His family is engaged in the slaughterhouse business, and they all have a criminal history. He outlined that the latter has held animosity towards Brahmins, having assaulted them multiple times and harassed individuals involved in religious rituals. Local attorney Rajendra Tiwari remarked that the priest had no adversaries and was killed solely due to his Brahmin identity.
“Kewat has consistently nurtured resentment towards the community, and this mindset ultimately led to the elderly man’s killing. He even visited Tehsildar Lavlesh Mishra’s residence, where he abused and physically attacked him, prior to his murder. He also assaulted me at the Tehsil Court,” Tiwari highlighted.
The instance triggered widespread anger in the area as villagers blocked the main road and placed the body there, demanding strict action. The demonstrators declared that they would not back down until the accused faced prosecution under the most severe laws and his house was demolished. His residence, along with his meat and chicken shop were sealed by the administration later.
Meanwhile, Sidhi’s Additional Superintendent of Police (SP), Arvind Srivastava, announced that a suspect has been apprehended in connection with the case, and the inquiry is currently underway. He is being questioned to uncover the motive and all related details tied to the occurrence. They are also investigating whether the attack was premeditated or executed in a moment of rage. Security has been increased in the area, and the corpse has been sent for post mortem.
