Bhubaneswar temple priest arrested for misbehaving with Odissi dancers and police

A priest of a temple in Bhubaneswar was arrested on charges of misbehaving and attacking an Odissi dancer and hurling abuses at policemen on Tuesday. 

The priest who was arrested by the Lingaraj Police has been identified as Shaktikanta Badu. He is a priest of the Mukteswar temple. 

On Monday, some Odissi male and female dancers visited the temple. The priest noticed them clicking photos on the premises of the temple. He not only attacked them but also misbehaved with them. 

On being informed, policemen in a PCR van reached the spot. But the priest didn’t stop there. He went on hurling abuses at policemen. 

Subsequently, two cases were registered at the Lingaraj Police Station. Acting on this, the police arrested the priest and produced him in court. 

The 10th-century Mukteswar temple is the venue for the famous annual Mukteswar Dance Festival. This festival, which has a place in the annual cultural calendar is organized by the Odisha Tourism Department. The temple has been an attraction for Odissi dancers because of its architectural design, specifically its decorated archway.