The Additional District Judge (ADJ) Court here on Monday postponed the bail plea hearing of nine servitors of the Shree Jagannath Temple, who are accused of creating disturbance during the Niladri Bije rituals on July 17 and are also declared as absconders, to August 4.
The servitors include six priests who were arrested for allegedly misbehaving with Puri district Collector Arvind Agarwal during the Niladri Bije of lord Jagannath. On the other hand, eight servitors, Damodar Mahasuara, Jayakrushna Mahasuara, Saina Khuntia, Bhimsen Palankadhari, Ipsit Pratihari, Rabi Dash, Kashinath Khuntia and Bhagirathi Khuntia, who were declared absconders by Puri police are yet to be arrested. Some servitors had an altercation with the Collector during Niladri Bije rituals when the latter confronted them after they took their family members atop chariots despite a ban order. The incident had led to delay in the rituals and the Pahandi of the deities.