Puri: A female journalist was allegedly assaulted by a group of temple servitors at the revered Shree Jagannatha Temple in Puri on Sunday.
The female journalist has been identified as Linu Nayak, a district correspondent for Puri.
According to Nayak, she was on her way to Singhdwar with her cameraman to cover the ‘Ratha Katha Anukula,’ a sacred ritual marking the beginning of chariot construction for the upcoming Rath Yatra. After gathering the news, Nayak and her cameraman, Siba Kishore, were on their way to the Singhadwara police station when the incident occurred.
Nayak recounted the events, stating, “After collecting the news, I was returning to the Singhadwara. My cameraman, Siba, was outside, converting visuals to send to our office. At that time, some temple servitors approached him at Singhadwara Gate and asked why he was recording and broadcasting visuals on TV. He explained that he was not recording their visuals, but the servitors continued arguing with him. They then attacked him.”
“Siba came to me and informed me about the incident. When I arrived at the scene and began questioning the servitors, a group of 10 to 15 temple servitors surrounded me. Despite my inquiries, they ignored me, subjected me to verbal abuse, and then proceeded to manhandle me, pushing me to the ground,” the journalist alleged.
Following the altercation, Nayak filed a complaint at the Singhadwara police station.
In response, Puri Superintendent of Police (SP) Vinit Agrawal assured that a thorough and fair investigation would be conducted. He emphasized that all involved persons would face legal consequences as per the law.
“As per the complaint filed by the journalist, we have registered a case at the Singhadwara police station. A detailed investigation will be carried out, with statements from both victims and witnesses being recorded. CCTV footage will also be reviewed. We will take appropriate legal action against those found responsible,” said Puri SP Vinit Agrawal.
