Puri Srimandir servitor suspended for 'assaulting' senior supervisor

Swinging into action, the Srimandir Temple Chief Administrator Aravind Padhi on Saturday suspended a servitor for allegedly attacking the temple supervisor following a dispute over sweets sale. The servitor along with his aide have been detained by the police.

According to sources, the incident occurred on Friday. The temple supervisor Baxi Ramachandra Pratihari had recently ousted a number of non-servitors selling Rabidi (condensed milk) in the Anand Bazaar.

Aggrieved by this, one of the servitors along with his aide attacked the supervisor when he was standing at the West gate of the temple. Pratihari sustained injuries to his right hand and was promptly admitted to the Puri District Headquarters Hospital by the temple officials. 

The Puri Superintendent of Police, Vineet Agrawal, visited Pratihari at the hospital and assured the public that he is out of danger and recovering well.

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“Such acts will not be tolerated here in the temple premises. We have demanded the police to arrest the culprits and take stringent action as per law,” informed Chief Administration Aravind Padhi.

Worth mentioning, the Anand Bazar is reserved exclusively for temple servitors to sell items.