Cop ‘Misbehaves’ With Minor Girl Inside Jagannath Temple

Puri: A day after police-servitors standoff, Jagannath Temple in Puri again hogged headlines after a policeman allegedly misbehaved with a minor girl inside the 12th century shrine on Saturday morning.

According to sources, a minor girl had come to the temple with her parents and relatives. While the family members were at the Baharakatha inside the main temple, a policeman on duty approached them and offered to take them near Bhitarakatha for darshan of the Lords. Later, he took the minor girl with him and allegedly misbehaved with her. The minor later told her parents about the incident, and they lodged a complaint against the policeman at Simhadwara police station.

Several policemen were present inside the temple along with an Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) when the incident took place.

As informed by the Simhadwara police, efforts are on to identify the policeman.

On Friday, the servitors had closed the main gate of the temple, protesting against police assault on a sevayat, which lead to a delay in rituals.