Priest held for attacking woman devotee in temple

A priest of Sri Lokanath temple here was today arrested for allegedly attacking a woman devotee before throwing her offerings and forcibly removing her from the famous Shaivite shrine, police said.
On the basis of a complaint by one Usharani Mohanty of Bhubaneswar, priest Rabinarayan Panda of Goudabada street was taken into police custody, said investigating officer S P Nanda of Baseli Sahi police station here.
Mohanty alleged in her complaint that though she had purchased a ticket for Rs 31 for 'darshan' of the deity, Panda demanded Rs 200 extra for the purpose.
When she refused to pay any extra money, the priest allegedly threw her container with the offerings and forcibly pushed her out of the shrine before cursing that her husband would die and she would get widowhood soon.

As the woman threatened that she would file a police complaint against him, Panda caught her on the neck and attempted to strangulate her, she alleged.
Even as the incident unfolded in full view of many devotees, priests and the police personnel present there, all were mute spectators and no one came to her rescue, she said.
The woman was medically examined and investigation was in progress, Nanda said.
Baba Loknath is a local saint in the Eastern region, believed to have been born in West Bengal's Nadia district hundreds of years back, and has a large following among Hindus in the region.