Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Puri, Jul 27:

Two servitors of the Sri Jagannath Temple in Odisha’s Puri were arrested by Singhadwar police for allegedly misbehaving with district collector Arvind Agarwal during Niladri Bije ritual of Lord Jagannath and his siblings.

servitors

The arrested sevayats were identified as Brundaban Pujapanda and Suryanarayan Pujapanda.

The Singhadwara police had on July 22 arrested two servitors-- Surya Narayan Pratihari and Rahgunath Khuntia-- in connection with the incident. This apart, 15-20 sevayats were reportedly identified after examination of CCTV footage.

Earlier today, a servitor namely Bhimsen Palankadhari filed anticipatory bail plea in the Orissa High Court in a bid to avoid his arrest in connection with the disturbance created by sevayats during Niladri Bije.

Puri Collector Arvind Agarwal 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.

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.