Devotees, servitors clash inside Jagannath temple in Odisha’s Puri

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Puri, Feb 4:

Tension prevailed inside Shri Jagannath temple in Odisha’s Puri town this morning following a scuffle between a group of jawans and servitors.

According to reports, seven jawans of Army Cantonment unit at Golabandha in Ganjam district had come to Puri for the darshan of the Lords at Shri Jagannath temple.

While having the darshan of the Trinity inside the main temple during Mangal Arati, a servitor, Somanath Mekap, came to them with a platter and asked them to pay money in the name of the Lords.

At this, T Madhav Rao, one of the jawans, put Rs 50 on the platter and asked the servitor to return Rs 40 to him.

However, trouble started when Mekap asked Rao not to take Rs 40 from the platter.

At this, heated altercation ensued between them after which there was scuffle in which both of them were injured.

Besides, another servitor, Lokanath Pujapanda was also injured during the scuffle.

Following information, the Temple Police rushed to the spot and took both the injured servitor and the jawan to Simhadwara Police Station where the duo lodged FIRs against each other.

In his complaint, Mekap alleged that the seven jawans attacked him first while Rao, in his complaint, stated that the servitors attacked him after he demanded the return of Rs 40.

Till reports last came in, both the parties have filed a compromise petition before the police for amicable solution to the unsavoury incident.

“We have managed to bring the situation under control after having discussions with the complainants as both of them have agreed for a compromise,” said IIC of Simhadwara Police Station.