Bhubaneswar: Even as fingers are being pointed at the police for its alleged laxity in managing the crowd during Snana Purnima, Puri police on Thursday said it was not responsible for hordes of devotees defying the instructions not to touch the deities at the much awaited event.
Addressing the media, Sarthak Sarangi, superintendent of police (SP), Puri said, “It was an administrative decision to keep the police force arrangement till the end of Sahana Mela. Forces were present at the designated spots accordingly. But the devotees touched the deities between the completion of Sahana Mela and the beginning of Pahandi Bije. The police are not at fault for this incident.”
Sarangi clarified that the public must have sneaked in along with family members of the sevayats into the temple to touch the idols.
“The barricading arrangements were removed after the Sahana Mela. It was decided in the meeting that only family members of the sevayats will be allowed to have darshan of the deities. Now the issue remains between the Sri Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) and the sevayats and the police have nothing to do with it. We had not allowed a single person into the temple till the end of Sahana Mela," the SP said.
Sarangi said after the Singha Dwara (Lion’s Gate) was closed at 10:30 pm, sevayats’ family members were allowed to enter the temple through the south and west gates of the 12th century temple.
The SP was quick to add that the police managed the crowd after it was informed about the incident.
“After we were informed about the incident, we rushed to the spot and managed to control the crowd,” he stated.
Sarangi, who is in the eye of the storm for ‘failing’ to manage the crowd, maintained that nobody should be held responsible for this as the ritual schedule was prepared in the presence of the temple managing committee, shrine administration, servitor groups and the police.
"It remains in the hands of the temple administration to manage everything after Sahana Mela,” he stated.
Soon after the incident, Puri Shankaracharya Swami Nischalananda Saraswati had blamed the SJTA for devotees touching the three deities mounted on Snana Bedi after breaching the barricades.
Puri King Gajapati Dibya Singha Dev had also said devotees should not touch the deities at any cost.
“All religious scriptures, texts and norms are clear that the deities must not be touched by anyone except servitors designated for the rituals,” said the Puri King, who happens to be the chairman of the Managing Committee of the temple.