In spite of the ban on public entry into temples across the State due to the Covid-19 pandemic, a video showing three persons from outside Odisha entering into the Gundicha Temple, Lord Jagannath’s aunt’s house, here on Tuesday raised questions about the security measures at the shrine.
The video showed the three devotees, including a woman and another person in police uniform, entering into the shrine through the Singhadwar (main entrance).
More surprisingly, a few local police personnel were seen facilitating the devotees in their visit to the temple. After coming out of the Gundicha Temple, the devotees boarded the policemen’s vehicle bearing registration number OD02AS 3536.
The devotee in the police uniform was identified as Kulamani Panda. However, when asked, he refused to have entered the temple.
Notably, the recently-concluded Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath in Puri this year was held without public participation due to the pandemic like last year.