Following the violence during the Puri Bandh on October 3, police arrested 19 people on Sunday. While the Lions Gate (Singhadwar) police booked eight people, 11 were arrested by the Town police.
With this, total 42 persons, including 20 by the Lions Gate police and 22 by the Town police have been arrested in connection with various crimes during the bandh.
Puri SP Sarthak Sarangi said that a total of 15 cases have been registered against leaders and supporters of the bandh over damages of properties in the temple outpost, the Lions Gate police station, the Jagannath Temple administration office, the town police station, the Collector’s office and the SP’s residence. The police are in search of evidences against the leaders, said Sarangi.
Sources informed that the police have lodged FIRs against many leaders of the bandh for inciting and financing to supporters for the crimes. As many as 400 people are in police net who would be nabbed in the coming days, said Singhadwar police station IIC Gokul Ranjan Das.
Meanwhile, sources said the crackdown by the police have led many leaders, including those of the Jagannath Sena, which called the bandh, to flee Puri. Some of them are still hiding in the city. Some temple servitors, including Daitapatis, are under lens. The police are also scanning CCTV footages to track the people who were involved in the mob violence.