Post News Network
Kendrapara, August 8: The situation in Kendrapara returned to normalcy Saturday, a day after people and police were locked in a pitched battle on the issue of self-styled godman Srimad Sarathi’s
alleged escapades.
“The situation in Kendrapara is normal. The local people are cooperating with the police,” said Nitinjit Singh, the new SP who replaced shunted SP Satish Kumar Gajbhiye.
With improvement in the situation, prohibitory order under Section 144 CrPC was lifted Saturday from the township and the adjoining areas, a district administration official said.
Deathly silence pervailed at the godman’s residence ‘Sarathi Ashram’ at Barimula village as devotees and followers deserted it. Gun-toting policemen were seen guarding the locked ashram.
The ‘godman’ was Saturday arrested on cheating and other charges following violent protests demanding action against him for his alleged escapades.
“Sarathi has paid the price for his
evil deeds. He betrayed the people,” said Parikhit Patra, an elderly man of neighbouring Nikirai village.
Meanwhile, several students of Kendrapara Autonomous College Saturday staged a road blockade in front of the college gate and the Cuttack-Chandbali road demanding stern action against Gajbhiye for attacking innocent college students during Friday’s protests.
Additional SP Ramesh Mohanty and
the IIC of Town police station reached the spot and pacified the situation.
Similarly, BJP activists also staged protests against Friday’s incident of police excesses on innocent people including district unit president of the party Duryodhan Sahu.
The BJP activists condemned the former SP’s “barbaric act” of beating up Sahu, who is also the former secretary of the district bar association, and forcing him to do sit-ups publicly. The
protesters demanded the arrest of Gajbhiye and also a judiciary inquiry into the police excesses.
In a related development, rights activist Radhakanta Tripathy filed a petition before the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) over the police brutalities in Kendrapara.
He alleged journalists and other people were beaten up brutally by the police, which is tantamount to violation of human rights. The police selectively searched for people involved in a protest against the alleged wrongdoings of the godman and damaged private properties such as motorcycles, cars and houses, the petitioner contended. The failure of the government to act over the issue of fake spiritual leaders amounts to serious violation of human rights, Tripathy alleged.
Sarathi followers run amok
Khaira: Continuous telecast of Baba Sarathi’s escapades on various media channels over last three days left his devotees fuming. They allegedly snapped the cables in an attempt to prevent people from seeing the telecast in Balasore. TV telecast Friday night was stopped in Gandibeda Tudigadia area after cables were cut off. Baba’s devotees and opponents Wednesday got into a fight when the former were seen cutting a cable in Mustafabad area of Jhinkiria panchayat.
