Misbehaviour with Puri Collector: 3 servitors move Odisha HC for anticipatory bail

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Cuttack, Jul 22:

In a bid to avoid their arrest in connection with the alleged misbehaviour towards Puri Collector Arvind Agarwal during Niladri Bije, three servitors of Puri Sri Jagannath Temple filed anticipatory bail plea in the Orissa High Court, today.

The trio who approached the High Court for anticipatory bail were Damodar Mahasuara, Jayakrusna Mahasuara and Harinarayan Khuntia.

The move of the three servitors comes hours after two sevayats– Surya Narayan Pratihari and Rahgunath Khuntia– were arrested by Singhadwara police for their alleged involvement in the incident.

Notably, the collector had on July 18 forwarded two complaints to the district SP Sarthak Sarangi naming six sevayats for their alleged role in creating disturbance during the conduct of Niladri Bije rituals of Lord Jagannath and his siblings.

The Collector while naming sevayats Damodar Mahasuara, Ipsit Pratihari, Saina Khuntia, Jayakrushna Mahasuara, Bhimsen Palankadhari and Rabi Das in his complaints, had accused them of misbehavior, hurling of abuses and death threat.

It may be recalled that some sevayats had an altercation with the collector during the Niladri Bije ritual when he confronted them after the servitors and their kin alighted from the Taladhwaja chariot, in clear violation of High Court and Sri Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) orders. The incident had led to the delay in the conduct of rituals and pahandi of Lord Sudarshan.