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In a startling claim, Puri Jagannath Temple’s senior servitor and the Lord’s Badagrahi, Jagannath Swain Mohapatra, also known as Jaguni, claimed on Tuesday that 70 modaks kept to be offered to the deity are indeed missing.
Swain Mohapatra urged the Odisha government to verify the theft using CCTV footage and conduct a proper investigation.
Also Read: ‘No Modak theft at Puri Srimandir’: Odisha Law Minister terms allegations misleading, warns of action
The ongoing controversy over the alleged theft of modaks at Puri Jagannath Temple took a serious turn today, as Badagrahi Jagannath Swain Mohapatra confirmed the incident was true. He claimed that around 70 modaks are missing and that the identity of the person(s) responsible might be ‘certain’. It can be verified from CCTV footage.
“If anyone has taken the modaks, the act can be ascertained from footage,” he stated.
Must Read: Srimandir ‘modak theft’: Initial allegations not based on verified facts, says SJTA Chief Administrator
Speaking to OTV in an exclusive interview, Swain Mohapatra dismissed claims that the modaks were sent elsewhere. “The discussion about modaks being transported to Digha is completely false,” he said, strongly refuting circulating rumours.
Calling for transparency, the Badagrahi demanded that the Odisha government review the CCTV footage from the temple and launch a proper inquiry to ensure accountability. “The modaks are indeed missing—this is not a trivial matter,” he added.
However, Badagrahi Mohapatra urged the public and media not to let this controversy overshadow the upcoming Rath Yatra celebrations. “Let’s not get stuck in minor issues. Focus on the grand event of Rath Yatra,” he advised.
This statement has fueled further public and media attention, with calls growing louder for the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) and State authorities to take swift action.
“I appeal to the SJTA to conduct a probe and verify CCTV footage,” the servitor added.
Earlier in the day, Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan had firmly dismissed the allegations that ‘modaks were stolen from Jagannath Temple in Puri’, stating that no such theft occurred. He termed the entire controversy a product of misinformation.
In a similar vein, the SJTA Chief Administrator, Arabinda Padhee, stated that initial allegations raised by the Badagrahi are not backed by verified evidence and emphasised the need for a detailed probe.
