Devotee thrashed in Jagannath Temple

A devotee from Maharashtra was allegedly assaulted by servitors and his gold pendent was snatched in the Jagannath Temple here over payment of Dakshina.

The victim identified as Chetan G Amolkar, a resident of Thane, was beaten up and injured for not paying a huge amount to the servitors as demanded by them.

He lodged a complaint in this regard with the Singhadwar police on Sunday.

Chetan along with his family had visited the temple when the servitors demanded a huge amount from him for offering prayer to the deities. As he did not oblige them, he was assaulted and his clothes were torn up. He sustained injuries on his right hand and neck while trying to save his gold chain from being snatched. Although he managed to get his gold chain back, the pendent attached to it was taken away by a servitor.

Even the servitors allegedly abused and beat his wife for paying them less amount of money.

“The pundits are getting salary for worshipping the deities and their service at the shrine. But they are demanding huge amounts from devotees for darshan of the deities. It depends on us how much we will pay. When we refuse to pay the amount of money they demand, we face such a situation,” lamented Chetan.

A police case has been registered for probe into the incident and investigation is in progress, said Singhadwar PS IIC Gokul Ranjan Das. Earlier, several such incidents were reported about misbehaviour of servitors towards devotees in the temple. However, no exemplary action has been taken by police or by the temple administration against the erring servitors.