Puri: In a disturbing incident, trays of khaja of a roadside vendor were looted at the Grand Road in Odisha’s Puri after police detained the seller for illegally doing business at a busy location.
According to information, the vendor had been selling khaja – a traditional sweet associated with the rituals of Shree Jagannath Temple – by occupying a portion of the road illegally.
The vendor had reportedly been warned by traffic police several times against carrying out business along the busy road as it caused traffic congestion and public inconvenience. However, the vendor allegedly continued the sale operation without complying with police directives despite repeated warnings.
Finally, the police reportedly took the vendor away from the spot and detained him to restore order and clear the obstruction from the road.
As soon as the vendor was taken away by police, the site witnessed utter chaos as devotees and bystanders allegedly rushed towards the unattended stock of khaja. Within seconds, people were seen grabbing and carrying away the sweets from the containers kept on the roadside. The containers were emptied in seconds, sources said.
