Servitor’s minor boy ‘sexually harassed’ in Puri Srimandir

Puri: A servitor of Srimandir filed a complaint against another servitor accusing the latter of sexually harassing his minor son on premises of the temple in Puri.

The complaint was lodged at the Singhadwar Police Station following which the accused servitor was booked under various sections of IPC and POCSO Act, informed Singhadwar Police IIC Sunil Kumar Pradhan.

Condemning such act inside sacred place, the complainant Surjya Narayan Mohapatra sought safety of his family.

According to reports, the minor boy of servitor, who is visually impaired, used to take his father to Srimandir regularly. He also serves at the temple.

Two months ago, one servitor namely Lakhmi Narayan Khuntia of Goddess Lakshmi Temple allegedly harassed the minor servitor when he was having darshan at the Bhubaneswari Temple on premises of Srimandir. When the victim opposed it, the 63-year-old servitor threatened to physically assault him inside the temple.

Being scared of the servitor, the boy left the place and moved to Lakshmi Temple where the accused again misbehaved with him. He threatened the victim not to allow him to the Srimandir if he discloses the incident before anyone.

Since then, the boy was being mentally and physically harassed by the senior servitor of Srimandir, the victim’s father alleged.

Based on the complaint, the Singhadwar Police initiated probe into the incident and arrested the accused servitor under sections 294, 377, 506 of IPC r/w section 6 of POCSO Act.