The sacred atmosphere of the Jagannath Temple in Puri was shattered on Friday. According to reports, a man in his late 50s was arrested for harassing a woman devotee from Chhattisgarh. This, despite being confronted several times. The report added that she even slapped him but the pilgrim from Gujarat refused to distance himself.
The shocking episode, which took place on Tuesday evening, came to light only on Friday after some workers associated with the temple revealed the details.
According to police, the accused, Vijay Surendra Pandya was part of a tourist group visiting Puri for the Jagannath darshan.
Based on the victim’s statement, eyewitness accounts, and CCTV footage, Pandya was arrested on charges of stalking, sexual harassment, assault or use of criminal force with intent to outrage a woman’s modesty.
The victim, a 24-year-old woman employed at a private company in Korba, had visited the temple with her family when the accused allegedly touched her inappropriately while standing behind her.
She believed the contact was accidental due to the surroundings. But as the offensive behaviour continued, she reportedly confronted him.
Dismissively, he said, “kya hua beti,” which further enraged her.
As she stepped aside to continue her prayers, the man allegedly followed her. Reports said he grabbed her hands and kissed them.
The woman’s alarmed cries drew the police’s attention, leading to his arrest.
The commotion attracted other devotees, temple servitors, and police personnel, who intervened quickly.
An SJTA official said that they were committed to ensuring a safe and respectful environment for all devotees and that such misconduct would not be tolerated.
The Puri police have beefed up security to protect women devotees. The report added that with the ongoing holy Kartika month drawing nearly one lakh visitors daily, additional personnel in both uniform and plain clothes have been stationed there.
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