TV
In the wake of a serious security breach at the revered Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri, the temple administration has formed a high-level inquiry Committee to investigate how four youths managed to scale the Meghanada Pacheri, the temple’s outer boundary wall and enter the premises undetected.
The incident, which took place despite heightened security due to the Rath Yatra and Niladri Bije rituals, sparked massive public concern after visuals aired by OTV brought the lapse to light.
The footage showed four individuals climbing over the southern gate boundary wall and entering the inner complex of the temple, raising questions about the effectiveness of the existing temple’s security apparatus.
Taking strong note of the incident, the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) on Wednesday constituted an inquiry Committee led by the Development Administrator. The Committee also includes the OSD Security, the Sanitation Officer, and the Civil Engineer in charge of temple infrastructure.
According to officials, the Committee will probe all angles — including potential negligence by security staff, camera blind spots, and access loopholes — and submit a detailed report for immediate corrective action.
The intrusion is particularly alarming as the Jagannath Temple is already considered a sensitive site, with prior alerts issued by intelligence agencies regarding potential terror threats. That such a breach occurred during one of the most closely guarded periods, the Rath Yatra during which over 10,000 security personnel deployed, has intensified concerns.
Meanwhile, police and SJTA officials are coordinating to identify the intruders and examine any motive behind the act.
The incident has also sparked political and religious debate, with many questioning the preparedness of the temple administration and law enforcement agencies.
‘Not 4, 400 scaled Meghanda Pacheri’
Speaking to OTV, senior servitor Biswanath Khuntia said, “When I came to the temple in the evening, I found many people entering the temple premises by scaling the outer wall. After 20-25 minutes police came. What were they doing?”
Sanjeeb Mohanty, a Puri resident said, “It is not 4, actually 400. Many people entered the temple premises. Where were the 275 AI cameras? Why no police personnel was present there? The officials must be playing games on mobile during the incident.”
