Bhubaneswar, March 3: Two persons were arrested on Monday by the Commissionerate Police in connection with a controversial tattoo of Lord Jagannath on the thigh of a foreign woman.
The police arrested tattoo artists Rocky Ranjan Bisoi (33) and Ashwini Kumar Pradhan (25).
Rocky Ranjan Bisoi owns ‘Rocky Tatoose' while Ashwini Kumar Pradhan is employed at the tattoo studio.
As per an official press release, Subrat Kumar Mohanty and his friends reported the incident to the Saheed Nagar police station on Sunday. They had learned through social media that a tattoo artist named Rocky Tatoose from Saheed Nagar had tattooed the image of Lord Jagannath on the thigh of a foreign woman. They considered the act to be an insult to their religious sentiments and requested the police take action against the owner of the tattoo shop.
The complaint lodged against Rocky alleged that the tattoo insulted religious beliefs. Upon investigation, it was revealed that on March 1, the foreign woman visited the ‘Rocky Tatoose’ studio and requested a tattoo. With Rocky’s approval, one of his artists created the controversial design on her thigh. Afterward, Rocky posted a photo of the tattoo on his WhatsApp status, which prompted several people to report the issue to the Saheed Nagar police. As a result, both the shop owner and the artist were arrested and will be forwarded to court.
The police commissionerate seized a mobile phone and a screenshot of photographs during the investigation.
In response to public outrage, both the tattoo shop owner and the foreign woman issued separate video apologies via social media.
Bisoi expressed regret, stating, “I sincerely apologize as the tattoo was done in our studio. I also ask for forgiveness on behalf of the artist who created it. The woman, an Italian national, visited our shop on Saturday. She expressed her deep devotion to Lord Jagannath and requested the tattoo. She specifically asked for it on her thigh as she works for an NGO where visible tattoos are not permitted.”
The foreign woman also issued an apology, saying, “I never intended to disrespect anyone. I am a devotee of Lord Jagannath. I made a mistake and deeply regret it. Once the tattoo heals, I will cover it up. Please forgive me.”
