Six servitors booked for misbehaving with Puri Collector

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Puri, Jul 18:

Puri Collector Arvind Agarwal today forwarded two complaints to the district SP Sarthak Sarangi naming six sevayats (servitors) for their alleged role in the disturbance during the conduct of Niladri Bije rituals of the Lords on Sunday in Odisha’s Puri.

The Collector while naming sevayats Damodar Mahasuara, Ipsit Pratihari, Saina Khuntia, Jayakrushna Mahasuara, Bhimsen Palankadhari and Rabi Das in his complaints has accused them of misbehavior, hurling of abuses and death threat.

Notably, some sevayats had an altercation with the collector during the Niladri Bije rituals,when he confronted them after the sevayats 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 Sudarshana. Moments later the sevayats had scuffles with media persons.

Earlier, in the day, Puri king Gajapati Maharaja Dibya Singha Deb, the first servitor of Lord Jagannath had expressed his anguish over the incident during the Niladri Bije rituals of the Lords yesterday.

“I am extremely sad and pained over the indiscipline during the Niladri Bije rituals.  The administration should take strong action so that such incidents are not repeated in the future. Both the administration and the state government should make strong arrangements to prevent the occurrence of such incidents,” said Deb in his reactions to reporters over the incident.

SJTA chief administrator Suresh Chandra Mohapatra has described the indiscipline during the Niladri Bije rituals as ‘extremely painful’.

Such an incident happened due the act of one sevayat, he added.

Mohapatra said it would not be proper to blame all sevayats for the incident. The officials of the administration and police who were present during the incident are examining it and the process for initiating action against the wrongdoers has begun. After examining the CCTV footage we will take appropriate action, he added.

“The rituals were going on as per schedule yesterday. Preparations for pahandi of the Lords were over and at this point in time, a sevayat had taken his daughter atop the chariot. When he was confronted by the administrative officials and security personnel present near the chariot for the act, the concerned sevayat indulged in arguments. This led to disturbance. As many as 2000 sevayat families are in the service of the Lords barring the concerned sevayat all other sevayats abiding by the decision did not take their kin atop the chariot,” Mohapatra said.

“Since several years sevayats had been taking their kin atop the chariots. Especially, little girls used to climb atop chariots. During the current year, it was decided that no individual unconnected with service of the Lord shall be allowed onto the chariots. While almost all have abided by the decision, one or two are trying to foment trouble. No sevayats have supported them for yesterday’s incident,” he emphasized.