A devotee from Gujarat was arrested by the Kumbharapada police in Puri for mounting Taladwaj Rath, the chariot of lord Balabhadra, on July 8 violating the ban imposed on climbing chariots and touching of deities by the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA).
Sources said the temple administration examined the CCTV footages and found Deepesh Shah from Gujarat climbing the Taladhwaj Rath. later, an FIR was lodged against Shah at the Kumbharpada police station for defying the restriction.
However, no action has been taken against the girl, said to be the daughter of a servitor, for climbing the Nandighosh Rath on Friday evening.
The girl had reportedly climbed the chariot of lord Jagannath with the help of some servitors before the Pahandi of the deities to Aadap Mandap inside the Gundicha Temple.
The SJTA has reportedly not taken any action as there is no restriction for a servitor’s family members to climb atop the chariots.