Niladri Bije fiasco: Bail plea hearing of 9 servitors postponed to Aug 4

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Puri, Aug 1:

The Additional District Judge (ADJ) court here today postponed the hearing on bail pleas of 9 sevayats of Sri Jagannath Temple in Odisha’s Puri, who are accused of creating disturbance during Niladri Bije, to August 4.

The nine sevayats include six servitors who were arrested for allegedly heckling Puri District Collector Arvind Agarwal during the Niladri Bije rituals on July 17.

On the other hand, eight servitors– Damodar Mahasuara, Jayakrushna Mahasuara, Saina Khuntia, Bhimsen Palankadhari, Ipsit Pratihari, Rabi Dash, Kashinath Khuntia and Bhagirathi Khuntia– who were declared as absconders by Puri police are yet to be arrested.

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.