Puri: The Hastidwar (northern gate) of the Jagannath Temple in Puri had stains of blood Monday after a servitor was attacked by one of his colleagues.
The injured servitor has been hospitalized.
Damodar Gochhikar, a ‘Jatri Sahayak’ servitor, was on duty at the northern gate of the temple Monday. He stopped Ramakrushna Khuntia, a ‘Suara’ servitor, from entering into the shrine with clay pots known as kudua.
Following the directions issued by the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA), Gochhikar stopped Khuntia and asked him to enter the temple from Ashwadwara (southern gate). Thus, the two servitors entered into a verbal duel.
Losing his cool, Khuntia attacked Gochhikar with a kudua on his forehead. Fellow servitors immediately rushed him to the district headquarters hospital (DHH) where he is undergoing treatment.
Sources said the Singhadwar police station has lodged a case and launched a probe.
As per the tradition, if blood spills on the temple floor, the servitors perform Maha Snana (the purification of the temple).
PNN