BHUBANESHWAR: Tension prevailed at Lingaraj temple on Sunday as police and servitors allegedly engaged in a scuffle, amid massive crowds gathered for Mahashivratri.
The clash reportedly began over facilitating darshan for family members of a few servitors during Sahanamela (general darshan). It soon escalated into a heated argument and turned into a physical confrontation between the sevayats and cops.
Tension also flared up over arrangements related to VIP darshan, triggering chaos and unrest on the premises.
Sources said the situation escalated further when VIP darshan was allegedly carried out by a few servitors during Sahanamela, leading to resentment among the devotees standing in a long queue.
The temple witnessed long queues of devotees on the day, as people thronged the 11th-century-old shrine from as early as 5 am for darshan.
The scuffle is alleged to have delayed temple rituals by at least half an hour.
Members of Brahman Nijog, a primary servitor group of the shrine, however, told the media that the temple rituals are going on smoothly and the Mahadeepa will be lifted atop the temple at the scheduled time.