Puri police will record the statement of noted Italy-born Odissi dancer Ileana Citaristi over alleged assault on her on Tuesday. The dancer had on Sunday accused servitors of assaulting her atop Lord Jagannath’s chariot in Puri.
Ileana was allegedly beaten up by the servitors for refusing to pay ` 1,000 as dakshina (offering) demanded by them for allowing her to offer prayer on the chariot.Puri SP Anup Sahoo said as Ileana was not available on Monday, the investigating officer would record the statement of the dancer and the servitors involved in the incident on Tuesday.
“In her complaint to the temple chief administrator Arvind Padhee, she alleged that one Krushna Chandra Das Mohapatra and some other servitors beat her after she refused to pay money to them. We have received the FIR and investigating officer will record her statement after which any arrest will be made,” Sahoo said. The temple police have been asked to find out the servitors present on chariot Nandighosh when the incident took place.
Immediately after the incident, Daitapati Nijoga servitors maintained that they would try to solve the case amicably as Ileana was a known figure in the State. The dancer has been staying in Odisha since 1979.