Minor Sexually Harassed By Srimandir Servitor’s Aide; Nabbed

Puri: An assistant servitor (Jatri Gumasta) of the Jagannath Temple in Puri has been arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting a minor boy inside the premises of the temple.

Though the accused, identified as Sudarsan Mishra was arrested on Tuesday by Singhadwar Police, the matter came to light on Friday after a number of media personnel raised this issue.

According to police, the young boy was apparently being sexually harassed on a regular basis by the suspect, Sudarsan Mishra, while he was studying Veda Patha at Panda Nijog inside Shree Jagannath Temple.

On October 4 at around 1 PM, Mishra attempted to sexually assault the boy while forcibly dragging him near Niladri Vihar. However, the boy managed to flee the scene and report the incident to Singhadwar Police Station, police officials said.

Mishra was charged with violating sections 377 (unnatural offences), 511 (attempting to commit offences punishable with imprisonment for life), and section 10 of POCSO based on the plaint of the minor. He was then arrested and brought before the court on October 5, police added.

Reportedly, this is the third arrest of this kind in a calendar year. Servitor Laxmi Narayan Khuntia was apprehended on December 10, 2021, for sexually assaulting a 16-year-old kid inside the temple. Further, A priest named Sangram Dash was previously arrested on October 9, 2021, for allegedly abusing a young girl from Hyderabad within the temple periphery.