Three US tourists indulging in new year revelry were injured when local public thrashed them after they allegedly hugged and kissed women passersby in an inebriated state here, the police said on Sunday.
The three men from California were injured when the public assaulted and threw stones at them on Saturday night. Two of them, later handed over to the police, have been hospitalised while another managed to flee the scene, the police said adding that they were in their late 40s.
Hospital sources said the two had suffered bruises and concussions and were under treatment. The trio, staying in a local hotel, were drunk and had come on to the road to celebrate the new year when they started hugging and kissing women who were walking on the road. Shocked by their conduct, the women raised an alarm. But the three Americans, also probably unaware of Indian culture and customs, went on the kissing spree, angering the public.
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Naveen returns without jagannath ‘darshan’
Puri, Jan. 1: In a departure from practice, Orissa chief minister Naveen Patnaik, who offers prayers in the sanctom sanctorum of Shri Jagannath temple on the New Year’s day, on Sunday returned without having “darshan” soon after entering the shrine premises.
Clad in his regular spotless white kurta and pyajama, Mr Patnaik entered the 12th century shrine through the “Singhadwar” (Lion’s Gate) and started climbing the famous “Baisi Pahacha” (22 steps) of the temple.
While climbing the steps, Mr Patnaik did not allow ministers and supporters in close proximity and was heard saying “...Where is the SP (superintendent of police)? Who is SP here?”, sources in the temple administration said.
SP A.N. Sinha immediately appeared before Mr Patnaik and vacated the area, sources said, adding the local MLA and Panchyatiraj minister Maheswar Mohanty was seen at a distance as also other leaders and supporters.
Mr Patnaik stopped at the seventh step and prayed with folded hands there. Then he went out of the temple complex and proceeded towards “Swargadwar”, the cremation ground on the sea beach, to pay homage to his father and former chief minister Biju Patnaik at his statue “Biju Samadhi Pitha”. — PTI