Italian dancer not to proceed with assault case

Odissi dancer Ileana Citaristi has told a court that she does not want to proceed further on the issue of alleged assault on her during return car festival of Lord Jagannath here as she does "not remember anything" about the incident.
"I do not want to proceed further in the case and want the matter to be settled amicably. I do not remember anything about the occurrance and have forgotten it in the meanwhile," Citaristi said in a petition submitted at the Puri sub-divisional judicial magistrate court.
Citaristi, who is a Padma awardee and is settled in Odisha for over two decades, agreed not to proceed with the case after a delegation of 'Daitapati' priests requested her to withdraw it.

The prime accused in the alleged assault case, 76-year-old Krushnachandra Dasmohapatra was also among those who met the dancer at her residence at Bhubaneswar yesterday.
Based on Citaristi's petition, SDJM Ajay Kumar Pradhan has granted bail to Dasmohapatra.
Meanwhile, the police have registered a case under section 326 (assault) and 354 (outraging modesty of a woman) based on the complaint made by Citaristi.
The alleged incident took place when Citaristi climbed the chariot of Lord Jagannath on July 21 during the return car festival. She was allegedly beaten up the priests and asked to pay Rs 1,000 as 'dakshina'.