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Puri, July 1: The Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) Friday claimed that servitors and police personnel had no role in the defilement of deities at the bathing altar during Debasnana Purnima rituals June 20.
“We have examined a report submitted by the additional superintendent of police in connection with the incident and examined video recordings of the event. However, there was no evidence in support of the allegation that some servitors and police personnel had facilitated devotees to touch the idols,” said SJTA chief Suresh Chandra Mahapatra.
Mahapatra, however, said that some servitors had touched the deities at the bathing altar after the completion of Hati Besa (elephant attire) ritual amid huge rush. Touching of deities on the bathing altar earlier was banned by the SJTA.
