Puri:
A day after Italy-born Oddisi danseuse Ileana Citarisiti alleged manhandling by priests in Puri, police have launched a manhunt to nab the accused.
Ms Citaristi, a Padma Shri awardee, had on Sunday filed a complaint with authorities at the famous Jagannath temple in Puri, alleging that she was beaten up by a priest on the chariot of Lord Jagannath for "refusing to pay money for a sighting of the deity". Two priests also allegedly abused her and forced her off the chariot.
"Since she has not mentioned the priests, we are trying to ascertain their names," said district superintendent of police Anup Kumar Sahoo, adding cops may also conduct an identification parade of the suspects.
Shocked by the episode, the 55-year0old Odissi exponent told NDTV, "I never expected this from priests... I have been in Odisha for 33 years. Violence is the last thing I would have expected in a place like this."
Ms Citaristi alleged in her complaint that she and one of her woman pupils had climbed onto the chariot by paying Rs 20 to a priest. But when the two women tried to approach the statue, a priest demanded Rs 1,000 each from them.
"When I ignored them, they started shouting: America! Foreigner," she said.
The dancer said the incident was not an isolated one, and that it wasn't just foreigners who were targeted in this manner.
"We have no right to beat any devotee. I apologise for the unsavory episode," said Ramachandra Dasmahapatra, a Jagannath Yatra organiser.
As per temple practice, foreigners are not allowed to step on to the chariots of Lord Jagannath and other deities during the annual Rath Yatra festival.