Falling down at Lingaraj temple: Injured servitor’s son points to missing sand at climbing area

Bhubaneswar: Giving his reaction over falling down of a servitor during Jagara festival yesterday night, the injured servitor’s son has blamed that as sand had not been filled at the climbing area the mishap took place. However, senior leader Sura Routray has said that due to heavy crowd things were difficult. His leg slipped as there was oil at the place. Routray said that for 40 years, he has been serving Lingaraj. In 50 years, he had not seen so many people at the Lingaraj temple during Jagara. This year, more women devotees gathered. When Mahadeepa was being raised, the servitor’s leg slipped due to as oil spilled in the portion where he put his leg unknowingly. Lord Lingraj saved him, he is undergoing treatment and is recovering. The Chief Minister met him. He thanked to the police, servitors, and the public for making the Shivaratri celebration successful. On the other hand the son of the injured servitor blamed that because sand was not filled at the climbing area his father fell and got injured. He claimed that sand is filled at the climbing area every year. But this time the administration forgot to do so which led to the mishap. It is to be noted that yesterday night when the said servitor was lifting the Mahadeepa to the temple top, he accidentally fell down and got injured. His ankle is broken. Mayor Sulochana Das also supported view of the son of the injured servitor and said that if there would have been sand at the climbing area, the mishap could have been averted.