Puri Violence: Accused Servitors To Move Court Against Police Action

OB Bureau

October 7, 2018 7:48 pm

Puri: A senior servitor of Jagannath Temple has decided to move court against the police action with regard to violence in Puri on October 3.

Earlier in the day, Town Police had registered cases against 15 persons, including three servitors, for their alleged involvement in violent protests in Puri on October 3.

Talking to mediapersons here, senior servitor Binayak Dasmohapatra said: “The district collector had formed a Shanti (peace) Committee to restore normalcy in Puri. “Later, the additional SP invited five members, including me, to the meeting. How can the SP deny it?”

Asked about the case, which the police have registered against him, Dasmohapatra said: “Can the SP show me the CCTV footage from which they had identified me and my involvement in the violence. Except for cooperating with the policemen, I didn’t do anything wrong. The case against me and two other servitors is grossly unfortunate. Police have conspired against the three of us as we have been speaking in favour of the servitor community. We will challenge the wrongful action of the police in the court of law,” he pointed out.

Briefing mediapersons earlier in the day, SP, Sarthak Sarangi had said that senior servitors Bulu Khundia, Binayak Dasmohapatra and Damodar Mahasuara were among the 15 persons against whom cases have been registered. He had further said that Khuntia was involved in the ransacking the assets in the residence of Puri MLA Maheswar Mohanty.

Replying to a question on the arrest of some of the members of the Shanti (peace) Committee, the SP said no such committee was formed and the agitators had come to the meeting for a discussion.