Odisha: 18 more arrested for violence during Puri bandh

Puri: As many as 18 persons, including some servitors were arrested today in connection with violent protest during Puri bandh on October 3 taking the total number of arrested persons to 41 so far.

The Town police of Puri arrested these persons on the basis of CCTV footage, sources said.

Puri SP Sarthak Sarangi had informed that the Town police had registered cases against 15 people, including senior servitors-Binayak Das Mohapatra, Damodar Mahasuar, Somanath Khuntia, Bhavani Das Mohapatra and others.

Binayak Das Mohapatra, however, claimed he was not involved in any form of violence during Puri bandh. He even questioned the SP’s statements on the formation of peace committee and dared the SP to show the CCTV footage of him.

“We will take the help of law,” he added.

As many as 47 persons have been identified for indulging in violence during the protest on the basis of CCTV footage, the SP said adding efforts are on to arrest the rest.

Earlier, 12 persons were arrested by the Simhadwara Police on Saturday while the Town Police had arrested 11 persons the previous day.

Notably, on October 3, Jagannath Sena activists, devotees and servitors took to streets protesting introduction of queue system atteh centuries-old temple. The angry mob had vandalized all barricades on the Bada Danda (Grand Road) and ransacked the office of Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) and residence of Minister Maheswar Mohanty.