Even after lapse of nine days, the police are groping in dark to nab the six accused servitors who were allegedly involved in attack on district Collector Arabind Agarwal during the Niladri Bije pahandi on July 17 last here.
Agarwal had filed two complaints with the police naming six servitors and others who attacked him and attempted to kill him while he tried to prevent climbing of unauthorised persons on the chariots violating the Orissa High Court and temple administration’s orders.
The police obtained non bailable warrants (NBW) against the six accused persons from the SDJM Court on Monday. SP Sarthak Sarangi said several police squads were conducting raids in Puri and Bhubaneswar and other possible hideouts of the absconding servitors but no arrest was made so far. On the other hand, to evade police arrest, three of the six servitors named in complaints have approached the High Court to get anticipatory bail.
In the meanwhile, after monitoring the CCTV footage, the police arrested two servitors, identified as Sanjay Khuntia on charges of assaulting the scribes and Madhisudan Khuntia, for attack on the district Collector. They were produced in court on Monday and were remanded to jail custody.
The Chhatisha Nijog (apex confederation body of various departments of servitors engaged in rendering religious service) members unsuccessfully tried to solve the matter. Their ten-member delegation had met the district Collector to persuade him to withdraw the complaints and settle the issue amicably. They had also approached the SP requesting him to stop arrest of innocents in the case.
As a matter of silent protest, they are now completing the daily nitees of deities early and effecting closure to the main gate (Simhadwar) before 9 pm putting devotees in difficulties while there was instruction of the administration to keep the main gate open till 10 pm. The members of Chhatisha Nijog were having meetings to chalk out an action plan to defuse the ongoing tension.
On the other hand, reports of payment of huge money to the Daitas by the temple administration have irked other servitors who are planning to demand the same for themselves. It is learnt that the temple administration had paid Rs2crore to Daitas for smooth conduct of the festival, while unconfirmed sources say the payment was Rs5 crore.
The temple administration said Rs2 crore was paid to offset losses sustained by the Daitas as the climbing of devotees on the Raths was banned. It was done in adherence to recommendation of the Shankaracharya and endorsement of Orissa High Court that the servitors likely to be affected of the ban on devotees climbing the chariots should be suitably compensated.
The huge payment to only Daitas which came to light recently by media has created turmoil among the rest of the servitor community of the Shree Jagannath temple.