Bol Bom devotees, servitors clash at Lokanath Temple in Puri

Puri: Two Kanwariyas (Bol Bom devotees) and five police personnel were injured in a clash between the two groups at Lokanath Temple in Puri today. Condition of one kanwariya is stated to be critical and he has been admitted to Puri hospital.

According to sources, the Kanwariyas had a confrontation with the servitors over pouring water on the Shiva Linga in the temple.

A servitor attacked a kanwariya from Gosani Nuagaon in Berhampur when the latter had gone to pour water in the temple. His fellow kanwariyas took him to the police camp on the temple premises and alleged that while some kanwariyas were waiting in a long queue for hours, the servitors allowed others into the temple by taking money.

A face off took place between the police and kanwariyas as the former did not take any action on the issue. Police had to resort to lathicharge to disperse the mob.

Talking to OTV, a kanwariya alleged, “While the servitors are demanding money to allow public to go inside the temple, the police is also taking money to allow them inside the barricade. When one of us protested, he was attacked by the servitors and police. Even children and women were not spared in the police lathicharge."

On the other hand, an injured police official Ramakant Patra said, “They had some problem within themselves and later attacked the police camp. The reason behind the incident will only be clear after a probe.”

Meanwhile, police has detained three persons. They are being interrogated by Puri SP, who reached the spot immediately after the incident.

In another incident at Dhabaleswar Temple in Cuttack, a kanwariya died due to asphyxiation inside the temple while he had gone to pour water.