Woman who climbed chariot during Rath Yatra surrenders

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Puri, Aug 20:

Two days after the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) filed an FIR against three persons including her for climbing the Lord Jagannath’s chariot during the Nabakalebara Rath Yatra, the woman at the centre of the controversy surrendered before the Sub Divisional Judicial Magistrate (SDJM) court in Odisha’s Puri town today.

 The court granted the woman devotee– Padmini Patra, wife of a well-known Puri hotelier — bail on a personal bond of Rs 20, 000.

On August 18, the temple administration had filed an FIR at the Kumbharpada police station here in connection with the climbing of Nandighosha chariot against three– Jagannath Swain Mohapatra (chief body protector of Lord Jagannath), suspended servitor Artatrana Pratihari and Padmini Patra, the woman devotee who had sparked a controversy after climbing the chariot parked in front of the Adapa mandap or Gundicha temple during Rath Yatra this year.

As per the FIR, a case was filed under clause 4(B) of section 30(A) of the Shree Jagannath Temple Act 1952 and sections 188 and 34 of the IPC.

Condemning the case filed against him, Lord Jagannath’s chief servitor Jagannath Swain Mohapatra had threatened to file defamation case against the temple administration.