Puri Jagannath Temple Servitor Krushna Chandra Pratihari Shot Dead

Puri: Former member of Puri Jagannath Temple temple managing committee, Krushna Chandra Pratihari, was allegedly shot dead by miscreants close to his house at Barabati Jagaghara under Town Police limits on Wednesday over suspected past enmity.

According to sources, two miscreants came on a motorcycle and opened two rounds of fire on Pratihari before fleeing the spot.  He was immediately rushed to the district headquarters hospital here but was pronounced dead by doctors.

Secretary of Suar Mahasuar Nijog (group of priests dealing with the preparation of Mahaprasad), Pratihari, along with five others, was recently acquitted in the sensational murder of former BJD councillor and servitor Taluchha Bhagaban Mohapatra aka Guna Singhari in August 2012.

In the chargesheet, police had termed Pratihari as the prime conspirator, who allegedly hired the goons to eliminate Singhari due to rivalry over land deals and real estate business.

The strongly built Pratihari is now being suspected to have been killed as part of a conspiracy. He was an influential servitor and wielded considerable clout in the pilgrim town.

The murder has shocked the servitors’ communities and residents of Puri especially because he is usually surrounded by multiple followers. There must be eyewitnesses but possibly due to the palpable tension and fear gripping the area no one has yet come forward with their version. Pratihari is said to have several enemies and involved in different cases in the past.