The Shree Jagannath Temple administration (SJTA) on Wednesday filed a complaint against three servitors at the Singhadwar Police Station here in connection with flouting the ban on climbing on the chariots and delaying the Pahandi (ceremonial procession) rituals of the deities on Sunday night.
The complaint was lodged against Damodar Mahasuar, Jayakrushna Mahasuar and Ipsit Pratihari, who are now absconding. On Tuesday, the trio along with six other servitors was suspended by the SJTA from rendering service at the shrine on charges of causing delay in the Pahandi, taking female family members atop chariots despite the ban and misbehaving with District Magistrate Arvind Agarwal during the Niladri Bije.
Meanwhile, the Odisha IAS Officers’ Association condemned the misbehaviour meted out to the Collector and demanded immediate action against the responsible.
“The Collector was only doing his duty and maintaining law and order. He was only executing the High Court order. The manner in which he was treated was unfortunate. We demand that the Government take immediate action against those responsible,” said Association secretary Vishal Dev. He said an emergency meeting of the association would be convened on Thursday to discuss the future course of action.
Meanwhile, there seems to be no regret for Daitapati servitors over the fiasco during lord Jaganath’s Niladri Bije rituals with senior servitor Jagannath Swain Mohapatra alias Jaguni threatening to disrupt the rituals completely in coming days. “This is just the beginning. The Pahandi ritual was delayed only by one hour. But I am telling that the ritual would be delayed by six or seven hours in future. The rites and rituals might collapse completely,” thundered Jaguni, the chief Badagrahi (Custodian) of lord Jagannath.