Bhubaneswar: A photo of Bollywood actress Sushmita Sen, taken inside Shree Lingaraj Temple in Bhubaneswar, has sparked concerns about security protocol enforcement at the shrine.
According to sources, the image was captured by a temple servitor during Sen’s visit to the 11th-century shrine while on a trip to the city, despite a strict ban on photography, cameras, and mobile phones within its premises, and later shared on social media.
When asked about the incident, the temple’s Executive Officer and Additional District Magistrate, Rudra Prasad Mohanty, stated that the issue would be raised with the Lingaraj Temple Trust Board for further action.
Sevayat Biranchi Narayan Pati has called the incident unfortunate. “Such incidents are taking place despite discussions in the trust board and efforts by the administration to create awareness,” he said, calling for strict action.
This incident despite rigorous security checks follows a similar controversy in October 2024, when actress Shilpa Shetty was seen recording her visit despite a strict prohibition on carrying mobile phones inside the temple to maintain sanctity and for security reasons. She later posted pictures and a video of the shrine on her social media handles, which sparked criticism with many accusing servitors of showing favouritism towards VIPs.
Amid widespread backlash, the Lingaraj Temple administration had then issued a show-cause notice to Niti Supervisor Raj Kishore Mohapatra for carrying a mobile phone inside the the shrine during the actress’ visit.