Niladri Bije fiasco: Odisha HC grants interim bail to servitor for wife’s treatment

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Cuttack, Sep 23:

The Orissa High Court today granted interim bail to Puri Sri Jagannath temple servitor Rabi Das for his wife’s treatment.

The High Court granted interim bail to Das from September 28 to October 18, High Court sources said.

Das, who is an accused in the Niladri Bije disturbance had petitioned the High Court seeking bail for his wife’s treatment.

Das, who had gone absconding after the disturbance during Niladri Bije rituals of Lord Jagannath and his siblings, was arrested by the police from Duttatota area in Puri on August 27.

Das and seven other servitors, who are accused of heckling the Puri District Collector Arvind Agarwal during the Niladri Bije rituals, were declared absconders on July 27.

Posters bearing the photographs of the eight servitors were pasted at public places in Puri town.

Since five of the servitors did not surrender before the designated court by September 12, the police have initiated the process for confiscation of their properties.

It may be recalled here that some servitors had an altercation with the collector during the Niladri Bije rituals 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.