Elderly priest charred to death in temple fire

A 65-year-old priest was charred in a fire that broke out at a temple in Rohini here on Saturday, the police said.

According to the police, the priest has been identified as Pandit Banwari Lal Sharma. He was found trapped inside the premises and later succumbed to his injuries.

A PCR call regarding a fire at Surya Mandir was received at the Prem Nagar police station on Saturday, the police said.

A police team, along with the Fire Department, rushed to the spot. Firefighters managed to control the blaze, but Sharma was found unconscious inside. He was immediately rushed to Sanjay Gandhi Memorial Hospital, where doctors declared him dead on arrival.

Preliminary investigations suggest that a heater inside the room may have caused the fire. The authorities have recorded the statements of four witnesses, including two of Sharma's family members, a neighbour and the caller who reported the fire. None of them raised any suspicion regarding the incident.

The exact cause of the fire is yet to be determined. Police and forensic teams are examining the scene to rule out foul play.

"We are looking into all possible angles, but so far, there is no evidence of any external involvement," a senior officer said.

Further investigation is on, the police said.