BHUBANESWAR: The claims of Commissionerate Police of keeping a check on forceful collection of donations during the festive season seem to have fallen flat as a 65-year-old hotel owner has sustained grievous injuries after being attacked by a group of anti-socials for failing to meet their demand of Rs 10,000 ‘chanda’ for Ganesh Puja.
The victim Chintamani Nayak owns a hotel in Ashok Nagar. According to the complaint lodged by Nayak with Capital police, he was assaulted by a group of miscreants on Friday night for refusing to give Rs 10,000 donation.
“A puja committee had demanded Rs 10,000 from me for Ganesh Puja. When I gave Rs 1,200, they returned the money. On Friday night, 12-15 persons attacked me for not meeting their demand,” said Nayak who has sustained injuries in head, eye and leg.
Police said, “So far, we have managed to arrest one of the accused, identified as Prakash Kumar Parida, for the crime. The investigation is on and other accused will be nabbed soon.” Sources said the prime accused, who is yet to be arrested, is affiliated to a political party.
So far, Odisha Police has registered five cases and apprehended 13 persons for demanding Puja donations forcefully in various parts of the State.