Odisha Cop Suspended For ‘Forcibly’ Entering Puri Jagannath Temple Despite Lockdown Restrictions

Puri/Cuttack: Odisha DGP Abhay on Monday suspended Badachana police station IIC Dipak Kumar Jena for gross misconduct and dereliction of duty.

The IIC had allegedly forcibly entered the Jagannath Temple in Puri with his family members on Sunday, despite the ongoing COVID-19 lockdown restrictions.

“A case has been registered against Jena at the Swargadwar police station and investigation is underway,” the DGP tweeted.

On Sunday, the havildar, whom the IIC had threatened when he tried to stop him at the south gate of the temple, had lodged a complaint at Simhadwar police station in this connection. On basis of this complaint, police had later detained Jena and his family members.

Following the coronavirus outbreak and subsequent lockdown to check its spread, the Odisha government had suspended ‘darshan’ at the temple. Only sevayats are allowed into the temple for puja and rituals.