Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Puri, Jul 19:

Five servitors of Sri Jagannath Temple in Odisha’s Puri were arrested in connection with the alleged attack on media persons by sevayats during Niladri Bije ritual of Lord Jagannath and his siblings, informed Puri SP Sarthak Sarangi today.

attack on journalists

While a servitor namely Madan Khuntia was arrested yesterday, five more sevayats-- Bapi Khuntia, Shankar Palankdhari, Bipin Patri, Papun Mohapatra and Baban Khuntia-- were arrested early this morning, sources said.

"Six sevayats were arrested in the case after four police teams conducted raids at several places. They have been booked under special acts as they hurt sentiments of the devotees by delaying rituals," said Prabhat Kumar Routroy, city DSP.

It may be recalled that after a young woman was seen on Taladhwaja, the chariot of Lord Balabhadra, during Niladri Bije on Sunday despite ban imposed by the Sri Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) on climbing atop of chariots by devotees or anyone other than sevayats, certain rituals were held up for a while leading to delay in the pahandi of Lord Sudarshan.

Following the incident, some working journalists were allegedly manhandled by the sevayats in the presence of police while they were trying to ascertain from the Nayak of Chhattisha Nijoga regarding the reason leading to the delay in the pahandi. The scribes had lodged a complaint at Singhadwara police station in this regard.