BHUBANESHWAR: More than 300 residents across multiple blocks in Puri district tonsured their heads and took part in purification rituals over the past two days, a week after the administration sealed a local restaurant for allegedly mixing beef in mutton curry.
The villagers said they were unaware of the meat’s origin, believing they might have unknowingly consumed beef instead of mutton, and sought to cleanse themselves by tonsuring their heads and taking part in religious ceremonies.
“Local priests advised us to undergo purification rituals according to Hindu customs. The rituals included tonsuring our heads, taking holy dip, and offering special prayers. We also organised community feasts and gave donations as part of the cleansing process,” said Bichitra Mohanty, a resident of Chandanpur area in Puri district.
Jayant Nayak from Kanas area said at least 70 men from his village have shaved their heads and received Mahaprasad from Jagannath Temple on Tuesday. Following a sacred bath in the holy water bodies and the Puri sea, they drank cow urine and bowed before cattle, seeking absolution. The villagers maintained they committed a ‘sin’ without their knowledge.
The hotel, located at Sakhigopal College Chowk along the Bhubaneswar-Puri National Highway-316, had gained popularity for its mutton dishes. The district authorities sealed the hotel on March 6 after a video surfaced, showing a man admitting to supplying beef to the establishment.
The man, who was allegedly assaulted by cow vigilantes, reportedly told them about beef being sold in the guise of mutton at the eatery. The establishment’s proprietor, who had been questioned by authorities, remained unavailable for comment.
The district administration has, meanwhile, ordered a thorough investigation into the matter. “Our investigation is in progress. Raw meat samples seized last week were sent to the laboratory at the Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology. Police personnel are on alert in the hotel’s vicinity to avoid any untoward incidents,” Puri district collector Siddharth Shankar Swain said.
The incident has given rise to anxiety among customers of local restaurants in the area. Locals have demanded strict action against those responsible and called for regular monitoring of food establishments.
“The administration should take stringent measures to ensure food safety standards are maintained at all eateries in the district,” said Sanatan Maharana, a local advocate.
