Bhubaneswar: After a photo of Puri Shree Jagannath Temple went viral on social media, the Odisha government on Wednesday said it is planning to introduce stricter punishment to deal with frequent violation of rules inside the 12th century shrine.
Reacting sharply to the latest viral photo, Law Minister Prithviraj Harichandan said the government has taken a serious view of repeated acts of indiscipline in the shrine despite clear warnings from the temple administration. “The government has to consider tougher legal provisions as some people continue to defy rules and violate the ban on carrying mobile phone, camera and electronic devices inside the temple,” he said.
Noting that people involved in such acts are not genuine devotees, the Minister said they do not visit the temple for darshan but only to create drama and gain attention on social media.
While the existing law already has several penal provisions, the government is now working on making certain changes to make the punishment more effective, he said, adding that steps are being taken to completely ban photography, mobile phones, smart glasses and camera inside the temple, a provision that was not clearly included in the old law.
Notably, a photograph of the sanctum sanctorum with Lord Jagannath and siblings on Ratna Singhasan went viral on social media. The image, reportedly taken from close range, raised serious concerns about security arrangements at the shrine.
The incident sparked criticism from servitors, devotees and the general public, who questioned how such a photo could be taken despite strict checking at the temple gates. Devotees demanded a detailed investigation to identify how the phone entered the temple and who was responsible for the security lapse.
Meanwhile, Singhadwara police have registered a case under sections of the Shree Jagannath Temple Act and launched an investigation. “Our cyber team is monitoring social media platforms where the pictures of Ratna Singhasan have been posted. We can take action against the offenders only after getting details about the persons who posted the picture and others who shared the picture,” said Puri SP Prateek Singh.
