By IANS
Bhubaneswar : Devotees in Orissa’s Jajpur and Puri districts sacrificed hundreds of goats and lambs to invoke goddess Kali’s blessings, eyewitnesses said Saturday.
The culling, which started Friday night continued till Saturday.
About 120 goats and lambs were sacrificed Saturday morning at the Maa Kali temple in Katarapur village of Jajpur district, some 100 km from the state capital Bhubaneswar, a villager told IANS.
Hundreds of goats were sacrificed Friday night at the Maa Kali temple in Veergovindapur village, about 45 km from the Puri district headquarters.
Although thousands of people witnessed the animal sacrifices, the local residents prevented the television media from reporting the event. The camera crews were asked to leave the place.
The animals were sacrificed despite appeals by animal rights groups not to kill the animals. The local administration had also served notices to the managements of both the temples but they went ahead with the sacrifices.
“We can’t stop the rituals, since thousands of people are involved in this practice. It can only be stopped by creating awareness,” a senior police official told IANS.