Bhubaneswar: A tattoo of Lord Jagannath on a foreign woman’s thigh has triggered widespread outrage in Odisha. The incident, which took place at a tattoo shop in Bhubaneswar, has led to protests by devotees and religious organisations, as they alleged that the matter hurt religious sentiments.

Members of the Hindu Sena have lodged a formal complaint at the Saheed Nagar Police Station here, alleging that the act was disrespectful to Lord Jagannath and the devotees. They demanded stringent action against the owner of the tattoo shop.

Following the controversy, Rocky Ranjan Bishoyi, owner of 'Rocky Tattooz', the tattoo shop where the incident occurred, along with the foreign woman, issued public apologies by releasing videos on social media.

"A foreign woman approached an artist at my tattoo shop requesting a tattoo of Lord Jagannath on her thigh. Our staff advised her against it and suggested placing it on her hand instead. However, she insisted on getting it on her thigh. I sincerely apologise for this incident. I was not present at the shop at that time. The tattoo artist will either cover up or remove the tattoo after about 25 days, as removing it now could cause infection. The woman has assured us that she will visit our shop for its removal or covering up," said Bishoyi.

The foreign woman also apologised, saying, "I never intended to be disrespectful. I am a devotee of Lord Jagannath. I made a mistake, and I deeply regret it. Once the tattooed area heals, I will cover it up. Please forgive me."

A photo of the woman displaying the tattoo was initially posted on the Instagram account of the tattoo shop. As the photo went viral and drew sharp criticism, the pic was later deleted.