Sambalpur/Padiabahal: A youth was killed while two others were rendered critical after miscreants attacked them with sharp-edged weapons over past enmity during a procession for Shivaratri festival at Khaliapali village under Balam panchayat under Sadar police limits in Sambalpur district, Friday night.
The deceased was identified as Agyan Prakash Nayak, a data entry operator at Jamankira tehsil office. The injured were Bibhu Jardia and Firoj Subudhi in the village.
The accused, Bikash Mahananda alias Kempa and his accomplices, fled the scene after the incident which was the fallout of a fight between three youths and Mahananda during Durga Puja festival last year.
The incident triggered tension in the area as the miscreants managed to sneak into the crowd and assaulted the youths despite police presence in the procession. The village which was abuzz with activities due to the festival was found deserted with the organisers cancelling the two-day festival Saturday. The incident occurred when a procession comprising the deities of two temples were taking rounds in the village on the first day of the festival.
Kenta first assaulted Bibhu with a sharp-edged weapon at the village end and rendered him critical. He was rescued and admitted to the district headquarters hospital.
Later, Kenta and his accomplices assaulted Nayak and Firoj when they were dancing in the procession. The two collapsed on the spot when locals rescued and admitted them to the district headquarters hospital.
They were administered primary treatment and were shifted to VSS Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (VIMSAR) when Nayak succumbed to his injuries. Later, family members admitted Subudhi to a private nursing home after doctors advised to shift him to Cuttack.
Police personnel were deployed in the village as a manhunt was launched to nab the accused. A case was registered and further investigations were on, Sadar IIC Sujata Panda said.
Paradip: Mahashivratri is one of the most auspicious occasions for devotees of Lord Shiva in this town. However, a Shiva temple here wore a deserted look Friday even as the whole country was soaked in religious fervor for Lord Shiva. The shrine near Nehru Bungalow here was locked since September 2014.
There haven’t been daily rituals for the idols inside the temple which has hurt the feelings of hundreds of devotees, according to a report.
The rituals here were stopped about two years ago as the temple, set up by the port employees, was to be demolished for the expansion of the port. However, the agency engaged to demolish the structure didn’t muster courage to pull down the temple, it was learnt.
In 1970, the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) had set up its office, residential quarters, armoury and a training camp near Nehru Bungalow in the town which was locally known as a ‘Complex’. In course of time, the CISF and Paradip Port employees set up a Shiv temple to respect the sentiments of the locals. Since then the shrine saw a lot of religious activities with thousands of devotees turning up during Shivratri festival every year. The rituals were never discontinued till September 2014, locals said.
However, the area came under the expansion project and the CISF quarters were vacated in 2014. Afterwards, a new residential colony and the office were set up near Shandhakuda. While all the buildings were pulled down and the land was leveled, the idols inside the temple were left unworshipped. The firm which got the contract to level the stretch of land doesn’t have the courage to demolish the temple. The temple has now turned into a habitat of reptiles, it was learnt.
Meanwhile, leaving the temple in such a state has hurt the religious sentiments of devotees, a report said.
