JAGATSINGHPUR: The famous 16th century Sarala temple of Kanakpur has become unsafe for devotees owing to frequent instances of assault and misbehaviour by the priests.
It is common for the priests of the temple to force the devotees to cough up a hefty sum for performing rituals. Recently, a devotee Nitesh Kumar Nanda of Khandgopal under Tirtol police limits was assaulted by a priest for the former’s refusal to pay for rituals. Later, Nanda who had visited the temple along with his family, lodged an FIR at Kanakpur police outpost. In-charge of the outpost Barada Satpathy said the priest was detained by the police based on the FIR. But he was later released on a PR bond with a warning not to repeat it in future.
In another similar incident on January 22 this year, a woman devotee of Jogania village under Tirtol police limits was assaulted by a priest when she refused to pay for taking a holy dip in the temple’s paduka pond. The priest misbehaved with the woman and assaulted her on the temple premises. Later, she lodged an FIR at Kanakpur police outpost and the priest was detained and later released on a PR bond.
Sources said such instances have become common at the temple with most of them not being reported to the police. A strong resentment is brewing among the devotees owing to lack of security at the temple. The situation has worsened to the point where devotees are scared of visiting the temple fearing assault by the priests. Despite repeated complaints, nothing has been done to rein in the wayward priests of the temple, said sources.