Post News Network
Puri, Feb 12: Plainclothes police personnel will be deployed in the sanctum sanctorum of the Jagannath temple here to facilitate smooth darshan for devotees, according to a decision taken at a meeting between special officer in-charge of Nabakalebar Suresh Chandra Mahapatra and representatives of Pushpalak and Khuntia Niyog Wednesday.
“It has been alleged that the presence of too many servitors inside the sanctum sanctorum is creating unnecessary chaos. Besides, a few servitors are demanding alms from devotees. The plainclothes police will check these practices,” Mahapatra said.
Priority will be given to maintenance discipline inside the temple. The number of servitors in sanctum sanctorum will be regulated according to the provisions of the Records of Rights (RoR) of the temple. No servitor will be allowed to demand money from devotees. Any indiscipline attitude on the temple premises will lead to disciplinary action as well as criminal proceedings, Mahapatra said.
The meeting also deliberated on the implementation of the PK Mohanty Commission recommendations for the safety of devotees inside the temple.
Those who attended the meeting included chief temple administrator Bikash Chandra Mahapatra, temple administrator (rituals) Prasanna Hota, temple administrator (security) Narahari Panda and temple public relations officer Sudip Chaterjee.