Bhubaneswar: The IAS officers’ Association, Odisha chapter has called for an emergency meeting on Thursday to discuss the physical assault on Puri Collector Arvind Agarwal by Sri Jagannath temple servitors during the Niladri Bije of the deities in Puri on Sunday night and decide its future course of action.
According to sources, the meeting is aimed at bringing the issue to the notice of the state government and seeking strong action against the erring servitors.
Notably, the Puri collector had lodged two FIRs with the SP Sarthak Sarangi against the six servitors, who had misbehaved with him, abused him in foul language and even threatened to kill him during Niladri Bije of the deities.
The six servitors against whom the FIRs have been lodged are Damodar Mahasuara, Jayakrushna Mahasuara, Bhimsen Palankdhari, Rabi Das, Ipsit Pratihari and Saina Khuntia.
The police is yet to arrest any of these suspended servitors.
Damodar Mahasuara, who is said to be the main culprit in the fracas, is on the run while the other five servitors are yet to be arrested, said police sources.
Puri SP Sarthak Sarangi said, “We have formed two teams to arrest the absconding servitors and raids are on at various places of the town.”