Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Puri, Jul 20:

Trouble continues to mount for servitors of Jagannath Temple in Odisha’s Puri as the Sri Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) has filed a complaint against three sevayats at the Singhadwara police station in connection with the unauthorized climbing of a female devotee on Taladhwaja chariot during Niladri Bije, sources said today.

servitor

The three servitors are Damodar Mahasuara, Jayakrushna Mahasuara and Ipsit Pratihari. Yesterday, the trio was suspended by the SJTA on charges of causing delay in pahandi of the deities, unauthorized mounting on chariots and misbehaving with the District Collector.

Apart from the three servitors, six more were suspended by the temple administration on same charges.

On the other hand, six sevayats arrested for attacking working journalists during the Niladri Bije ritual were sent to judicial custody yesterday after their bail applications were rejected by the Sub Divisional Judicial Magistrate Court here.

It may be recalled that after a young woman was seen on Taladhwaja, the chariot of Lord Balabhadra, during Niladri Bije on Sunday despite ban imposed by the Sri Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) on climbing atop of chariots by devotees or anyone other than sevayats, certain rituals were held up for a while leading to delay in the pahandi of Lord Sudarshan.