Puri Temple Priest Held for Fellow Member's Murder

BY: SUN STAFF CORRESPONDENT

Aug 29, 2012 — JAGANNATHA PURI, ORISSA — Police on Wednesday detained a priest of Puri Jagannath Temple, suspecting his role in the sensational murder of fellow member Talachhu Bhagaban Mohapatra, aka Guna Singhari, who was shot dead on August 22. Mohapatra was a BJD councilor.

The suspect, Krushna Chandra Pratihari is a member of the Jagannath Temple Managing Committee. "We suspect he was a prime conspirator in the murder case. But the motive is being investigated. He had absconded after the crime," Puri SP Anup Kumar Sahoo said. Sources said police nabbed Pratihari from the Semiliguda area of Koraput district.

"We will interrogate him to elicit information. Role of another mastermind is also being looked into," Sahoo said.

Police earlier on Monday arrested five men, including two prime accused, in connection with the killing. One of the motives of the killing was attributed to a land dispute. "Both Mohapatra and Pratihari were expanding their business in land deals. This could be a plausible reason of hostility between them," a police officer said.

The development came as a shock to the government-run Jagannath shrine administration. The Temple's Chief Administrator Arvind Padhee said Pratihari would be dismissed from the committee, if found guilty.

"Mohapatra too was a temple Managing Committee member. If police formally arrest Pratihari, we will recommend the state government to oust him from the committee. There is no place for criminals in the committee," said Padhee, a senior IAS officer. "He would be debarred from offering service in the temple if case is registered against him," he added.

Sources said Pratihari, who found his way into the temple committee for the first time, enjoyed solid clout in the administration and politics. Police suspect that he hatched the blueprint to eliminate Mohapatra, who was also emerging as an influential character in Puri. Police are also investing the possibility of some politicians shielding Pratihari.