At a time when devotees are only allowed inside the Puri Jagannath Temple through the gate near Singhadwara, a cop was suspended for taking bribe from devotees to allow entry into the temple through the ‘Paschima Dwara’ (western gate) on Saturday.
The accused has been identified as Shubhasis Das, who is a Sepoy of OSAP third battalion. Puri SP Kanwar Vishal Singh suspended Das after the incident was captured on camera.
Additional SP Sushil Mishra has been given the responsibility to carry out an investigation into the incident.
With the demand for reopening of all ‘Dwaras’ (gates) of Puri Srimandir gaining momentum, the incident has evoked sharp reactions among the devotees and servitors.
“Devotees being allowed only through Singhadwara is a kind of hoax. In fact, several devotees are entering Srimandir through all four ‘Dwaras’ by bribing the security personnel and I have seen it with my own eyes. Odisha Police and Jagannath Temple Police (JTP) are taking bribes from devotees to allow them entry through all the four ‘Dwaras’,” said Damodara Mahasuara, former President of Suara Mahasuara Nijog.
“It’s really a matter of concern why Odia people are not allowed entry into Srimandir through all the four ‘Dwaras’. It’s all business going on here. We have given a proposal to the temple administration to install CCTV cameras in those places where security personnel are taking bribes from the devotees to allow entry into Srimandir through different ‘Dwaras’,” said Soumendra Muduli, Chief Advisor of Muduli Nijog.