Puri: A drone footage of Shree Jagannath Temple in Odisha’s Puri town has gone viral, raising serious concerns over the security arrangements at the 12th-century shrine as the area is a no-flying zone.
In the footage, a ‘Chunara Sevak’, climbing the 214-ft high shrine to hoist the flag on the mast, can be seen acknowledging the camera with folded hands. The drone, which seems to be flying close to the temple, also captures the sevak tying the Patita Pavana (temple flag) onto the Nilachakra.
The clip uploaded to Facebook on May 30 under the name “Story by Naru Gopal” with a location tag pointing to Nabadwip Mayapur in West Bengal, has triggered widespread discussions about repeated breaches and the need for stricter surveillance around the holy shrine.
Taking serious note of the issue, the Puri district police and temple administration have launched an investigation.
Similar security breaches have been reported in recent months. A drone was spotted flying over the sacred Jagannath Temple around 4.10 am on January 5, hovering over it for about 30 minutes.
Notably, the Odisha government is considering deploying an anti-drone system to enhance security at the Puri shrine. Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan had stated that the system would detect, track, and neutralise unauthorised or “potentially malicious” drones. He added that funds for the proposed anti-drone apparatus will be arranged by the temple administration.
