PURI/BHUBANESWAR: In two incidents that shocked Puri, a servitor of a satellite temple of Srimandir was charged with misconduct with a women devotee while a 21-year-old differently-abled woman was allegedly raped at a village in Brahmagiri.
In the first case, the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration, after a preliminary inquiry, directed the temple supervisor to file an FIR against the servitor of Nishanrusingh temple with Simhadwar police. The incident allegedly took place in the evening of December 24 when the woman visited Nishanrusingh temple and the young servitor misbehaved with her. The lady lodged a complaint with the temple administration.
The temple administration conducted a preliminary inquiry and found that the original servitor of the satellite temple had deputed a young man to perform his service who allegedly committed the crime. The temple is situated within the premises of the Shree Jagannath temple.
The temple administration condemned the heinous crime and initiated actions through the police. It also issued an order that no devotee would be allowed to go to the Nishanrusingh temple until further orders. It also took a strong view of servitors deputising others to perform services on their behalf. In a press release, it said the matter would be addressed through the Nijogas (servitor associations).
In the second incident, the victim lodged a complaint on Friday. Initial investigation revealed that the differently-abled woman was raped in her house by her neighbour. “The accused involved in the crime was arrested. A case was registered and a probe launched into the matter,” said Puri SP Prateek Singh.
Opposition BJD targeted the state government over the incident. “The Brahmagiri incident has exposed the state government’s failure in maintaining law and order,” said BJD vice-president, Sanjay Das Burma.
Das Burma pointed out that the incident took place just a few months after a 19-year-old girl was gang-raped by four men on September 13 when they held her male friend hostage near Baliharachandi temple in Puri district.