Puri: In a recent development regarding vandalisation of chulhas at Puri Jagannath Temple, one suspect has been caught on CCTV who went inside the temple after 1 am, informed Puri SP Kanwar Vishal Singh.
Reportedly, the suspected youth was also spotted with four Jagannath Temple Police (JTPs) in another CCTV footage while they were coming out of the Srimandir.
However, the identity of the suspected youth has not yet been ascertained. The four JTPs are being questioned since Monday to collect details about the suspected youth’s reason to enter the temple late at night. “The four JTPs will be asked in which circumstances did the suspected youth was present inside the temple late that night and in which circumstances did he move out of the temple,” added Puri SP.
Adding to this, the other staff of temple administration and other sevayats are also being cooperative during the investigation, he said. “The CCTV footage will be shown to maximum of the people to ascertain the identity of the suspected youth,” added Singh.
Earlier on Monday, Odisha Chief Secretary Suresh Chandra Mohapatra and DGP Sunil Kumar Bansal along with Puri District Collector Samarth Verma and senior members of the Shree Jagannatha Temple Administration (SJTA) took stock of the situation .
While speaking to the media persons, the Chief Secretary said that there is no threat to the temple as all works are being executed in close coordination with ASI and the Srimandir Heritage Corridor project is being undertaken for the benefit of lakhs of devotees.
He also said that there seems no specific motive behind vandalization of the chulhas. However, someone carried out this act while hiding to avoid detection.
Notably, more than 60 Pithapuri, Kothabhoga, Satapuri and Thadapuri earthen ovens (chulhas) inside the Jagannath Temple’s kitchen, known as the Rosaghara, were allegedly vandalised by some unknown persons late on Saturday night.
While the exact reason behind vandalisation of the earthen ovens is yet to be known, it is suspected that some miscreants allegedly ransacked the chullas after the Bada Singhara besha of the deities due to business rivalry in Anand Bazar.
Ms Kalinga