PURI: Even as police on Wednesday arrested the accused Jagan Mahapatra of Deuli village in Khurda’s Begunia for allegedly desecrating the kitchen of Srimandir, questions are being raised over involvement of others, most probably an insider, in the vandalism of chulhas (earthen stoves).
Puri SP K Vishal Singh said the accused is often changing his statements. After conducting his medical tests, police will produce him in court and seek his remand for further investigation.Singh further said since Mahapatra appears to be mentally unstable, police discussed the youth’s health condition with his family members. He will undergo a check-up for examination of his mental health after police take him on remand.
However, senior servitors Madhab Mahapatra and Madhab Pujapanda expressed doubt over the incident being the handiwork of a single person. “Since the youth is not a servitor and a complete stranger to temple affairs, how did he enter the kitchen? Why was the kitchen door not locked on the night when the stoves were vandalised?” they questioned.
As per tradition, after Badasimhar ritual and closing of the sanctum sanctorum, personnel of Jagannath temple police search the temple complex to clear all persons from the shrine premises. If any devotee is found sleeping in the compound, they are escorted out. This exercise is called ‘Sodha’. “It is surprising that the accused managed to evade the temple security personnel and destroyed as many as 43 chulhas in the kitchen single-handedly,” they pointed out.
Locals too are not ready to buy the story of the accused vandalising the kitchen alone. Ranjit Das, a devotee, said it is humanly impossible for a single person to destroy such a large number of chulhas with bare hands. “Besides, there is no proof that the youth entered the kitchen or came out of it. The footage of CCTV cameras installed in the temple complex shows only his presence inside the temple at the time of incident. Neither was he seen running out after committing the crime nor showed any odd behaviour. He is being made a scapegoat,” Das stated.
Sources said police are also probing the incident taking into account all possible angles including involvement of more persons in the vandalism or any conspiracy to disrupt the preparation of Mahaprasad. On Tuesday, Puri police nabbed the youth from his village basing on the CCTV footage inside Srimandir. The clothes which he was wearing at the time incident on Saturday night were also seized.Meanwhile, all the damaged chulhas in the temple kitchen have been repaired.
New SJTA chief takes charge
Newly-appointed Chief Administrator of Shree Jagannath Temple Administration Vir Vikram Yadav took charge of his new assignment after offering prayers to the Trinity on Wednesday. He also visited the temple office and interacted with the officers and staff.