Arrested servitors at Kumbharpada police station at Puri, Tuesday
Post News Network
Puri, July 19: Five more servitors were arrested Tuesday for allegedly attacking media persons leading to disruption of Lord Jagannath’s Niladri Bije ritual for over an hour Sunday here, Puri superintendent of police Sarthak Sarangi said. The servitors were identified as Bapi Khuntia, Shankar Palankdhari, Bipin Patri, Papun Mohapatra and Baban Khuntia. The police had arrested servitor Madan Khuntia Monday. The servitors who have been booked under different sections of IPC including 307 (attempt to murder) had allegedly attacked media persons as they showed live servitor Damodar Mahasuar taking his daughter onto the chariots by defying the Orissa High Court’s ban orders. Besides attacking the media persons, the servitors also broke video camera of certain television channels. Meanwhile, one lady assistant sub-inspector (ASI) Tuesday lodged another FIR at Singhadwar police station against servitors who allegedly misbehaved with her during the Niladri Bije rituals. Puri collector Arvind Agarwal has also lodged two FIRs with SP against six servitors who had misbehaved and abused him using foul language and threatened to kill him during the ritual. The servitors against whom the FIRs have been lodged include Damodar Mahasuara, Jayakrushna Mahasuara, Bhimsen Palankdhari, Rabi Das, Ipsit Pratihari and Saina Khuntia.
