Bhadrak: Akhandalamani temple at Aradi village in Bhadrak district was Thursday closed for devotees after a servitor tested positive for COVID-19.
Bhadrak Sub-Collector Pitambar Samal said that the temple will be out of bounds for people from April 15 noon to April 17 evening.
The affected servitor is under isolation, it was learnt.
When asked about the rituals of the temple, Samal said that the servitors will perform the rituals as usual. During the ban period, the temple premises will be sanitised and all other servitors will undergo COVID-19 tests.
Meanwhile, the administration’s decision has not gone down well with the servitors. Opposing the decision, they staged a dharna at the entrance of the temple.
Notably, Bhadrak district Thursday reported 34 fresh COVID-19 cases, taking the district’s tally to 7,799.
Of them, 7,532 patients have already recovered from the disease while the active cases stand at 237. The virus has so far claimed 26 lives in the district.
PNN