Srimandir Kitchen Vandalism: Accused Sent To 14-Day Judicial Custody

The Puri SDJM Court on Wednesday rejected the bail plea of J Mohapatra, the prime accused in the Srimandir kitchen vandalism case and sent him to 14-day judicial custody.

While speaking to OTV, while he was being forwarded to court, the accused said, "I could not stand the Prasad being scattered everywhere in the kitchen when there are people outside who not even get one square meal a day."

“There were many things in my mind including anger. I felt like ransacking the earthen stoves in the kitchen, so I did it,” Mohapatra said after he admitted to having committed the crime alone.

“I made my entry into the Temple in the afternoon of April 2 and stayed till late night. I saw the untidy kitchen (Rosaghara), so cleaned it up in the night. I suddenly felt like ransacking the kitchen, so, I vandalised the chulhas at around 2 am and came out of the kitchen,” Mohapatra confessed.

“Everyone was asleep and nobody was around when I vandalised the kitchen. However, three Jagannath Temple Police (JTP) personnel spotted me roaming inside the premise and asked me to go out,” he added.

Mohapatra was detained by the Puri Police from Balanga on Tuesday night and after his confession, he was forwarded to the court on Wednesday.