Famous sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik was hospitalized with an injury on Sunday evening after a miscreant attempted to snatch his wristwatch at the venue of International Sand Art Festival in Odisha’s Puri district.
Pattnaik was rushed to the district headquarters hospital in Puri for treatment. He received injuries after being pushed by the miscreant at the crowded venue.
“The youth caught hold of my arm during a handshake and tried to snatch my wristwatch. When I tried to resist, he attacked me and disappeared into the crowd,” the artist said.
“I could not find the youth. Even my students and friends tried to catch him, but failed,” he added.
The five-day long International Sand Art Festival was inaugurated on December 1 at Chandrabhaga beach near the famous Sun Temple in Konark. The festival was organized by the state department of tourism. Pattnaik is the brand ambassador for the festival.
A total of 70 participants, including 18 women, participated in the festival. Participants from nine countries – Germany, Mexico, Ghana, Singapore, Canada, Spain, Sri Lanka, Russia, and India will showcase their sand art during the festival.
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