Niladri Bije fiasco: HC denies anticipatory bail to 3 servitors

Cuttack: The Orissa High Court on Thursday rejected the anticipatory bail pleas of three servitors accused of misbehaving with the Puri Collector and manhandling media persons during the Niladri Bije celebrations on July 17.

The three servitors - Damodar Mahasuar, Jayakrushna Mahasuar and Saina Khuntia - figured in the list of absconders announced by the police. Photographs of these absconders were put up by the police at various places in the holy city seeking information about them from the public.

Twelve servitors have been arrested for the unsavoury incident on Niladri Bije night that saw servitors grappling with and assaulting media persons and Puri collector Arvind Agarwal.

On August 10, the Additional District Judge (ADJ) in Puri had granted bail to 11 servitors who were accused of creating disturbance during the annual celebrations.

Those who have been granted bail are Brundaban Pujapanda, Madhusudan Khuntia, Surya Narayan Pratihari, Raghunath Khuntia, Madan Mohan Khuntia, Shankar Palankadhari, Rabi Narayan Khuntia, Harihar Patri, Jaya Krushna Mohapatra and Rama Narayan Khuntia.