SC defers hearing on Puri bandh violence to Nov 30

Bhubaneswar/New Delhi: The Supreme Court today deferred the hearing on Puri bandh violence to November 30 citing ill health of amicus curiae Gopal Subramaniam who was appointed to oversee implementation of reform measures for Puri Srimandir.

The apex court was scheduled to hear a petition today over entry of police personnel into Puri Srimandir wearing shoes while trying to control violent mob during Puri bandh on October 3.

During the hearing of the matter on October 10, the apex court had ordered the Odisha Government, amicus curiae Gopal Subramanium and the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) to submit their responses in this regard within 2 weeks.

An advocate Debashish Mishra had alleged that during the violence, policemen had entered the temple with guns and boots on. Taking note of the matter and the incidence of violence at the 12^th century shrine, a bench consisting of Justice Madan Lokur and Justice Deepak Gupta ruled that no policeman should enter the temple with weapons and shoes.

However, the counsel appearing from SJTA denied allegations of policemen entering the temple with their shoes on.

On October 3, members of a socio-cultural outfit called the Shree Jagannath Sena called a 12-hour shutdown and staged violent protests against the introduction of 'Dhadi Darshan' or 'Queue System' inside Puri Srimandir.

As many as 86 persons have been arrested so far in connection with violence during the shutdown.