Nabarangpur: Sparking outrage over what could be a serious breach of trust, a group of Ram bhakts (devotees) alleged that they were taken ill after spurious 'prasad' (religious offering) was served to them at the Bali Jatra in Odisha's Nabarangpur district. The shocking incident was reported from Ekamba village under Nandahandi block of the district.

The devotees accused the village 'disari' (priest) of having conspired against them and mixing posion in the food after resentment brewed among the locals over a delayed ritual in the event. 

As per the complaint, the Ram bhakts had gone to the village for the Bali Jatra which had commenced on May 26. When the carnival kickstarted, the head of the Bali Jatra organising committee ran behind schedule in bringing the idols of deities Bhima Bhimani for the Patuara Parikrama triggering major displeasure among the villagers. Agitated at the disruption of the auspicious timing of the rituals, the village seer poisoned the food served to the bhakts. Soon after consuming the prasad, three of them were taken ill and had to be hospitalised at Dangarbheja Community health Centre and later at the district headquarters hospital. During treatment, the patients learnt from the doctors that the food they had consumed was poisoned. 

After recuperating, the victim devotees reached out to the district police for justice and demanded stringent action against the priest and those involved in the inhumane act.

They staged a protest outside the SP office and reached out to Additional SP Aditya Sen to file a formal complaint. 

Sharing their experience with mediapersons, one of the devotees said it was a major breach of trust. "We feel pained that such an extreme step was taken against us which put our lives in danger. The village priest and locals were agitated when the timing of the rituals got delayed. They consequently hatched a conspiracy to punish us and mixed poison in the food served to us. One of us fainted soon after consuming the food. Two others followed and were soon hospitalised. We want actionagainst such an act," he claimed. 

Meanwhile, no response from the police could be obtained in this connection. 

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