CUTTACK: The Orissa High Court has asked the state police to ensure safety of the more than 1,000-year-old centrally-protected Ananteswara Mahadev Temple and provide security to ASI for repairing the boundary wall of the ancient monument which was pulled down by miscreants in May last year.
The court also expected the police to carry out investigation into the vandalism of the boundary wall and take action against the culprits as per law.
The order issued on February 19 assumes significance as the temple on the banks of Chitrotpala river at Lendura Bhagabanpur in Nischintkoili block of Cuttack district was declared ‘an ancient monument of national importance’ by the Ministry of Culture on April 2, 2014. The temple has since been under the jurisdiction of ASI.
The ASI had filed a complaint at Nemala police station on May 15, 2024, naming two persons of Lendura Bhagabanpur village as the culprits for damaging nearly 15 metres of the boundary wall which was under construction. Dharanidhar Nanda and four other residents of the locality also filed a petition seeking judicial intervention for protection of the temple on June 21, 2024.
Representing the petitioners, advocate Subhransu Bhusan Mohanty submitted before the court that the ASI had lodged a complaint at the Nemala police station identifying the miscreants. But no action has been taken for protection of the monument, he said.
Disposing of the petition, the division bench of Acting Chief Justice Arindam Sinha and Justice MS Sahoo said, “Needless to mention, FIR stands registered and the wrongdoing is to be investigated and brought to logical conclusion. ASI will inform SP (Cuttack Rural) with copy to IIC Nemala police station their work schedule for repairing the wall and proceed to do so.”
Additional government advocate (AGA) Suman Pattanayak submitted an affidavit by state government stating that patrolling to provide security to monument was being done. Central government counsel D Gochayat representing the ASI, however, sought direction to provide security for repairing the wall.