Bhubaneswar: A foreign woman issued a public apology for getting a tattoo of Lord Jagannath on her thigh at a parlour in Bhubaneswar. The incident sparked widespread outrage and protests from several religious organizations and Lord Jagannath’s devotees, who alleged that the act hurt religious sentiments.
The controversy began when a photo of the Italian woman displaying the tattoo was posted on the Instagram account of ‘Rocky Tattooz’, the tattoo shop where the incident occurred.
After the photo went viral, members of the Hindu Sena lodged a formal complaint at the Saheed Nagar Police Station, demanding stringent action against the owner of the tattoo shop, Rocky Ranjan Bishoyi. After the tattoo shop received flak from different quarters, the shop had to delete the post.
In response to the backlash, Bishoyi and the foreign woman released videos on social media, apologizing for the incident. The woman stated, “I never intended to be disrespectful. I am a devotee of Lord Jagannath. I made a mistake, and I deeply regret it. Once the tattooed area heals, I will cover it up. Please forgive me.”
