Puri: The keys of Bhitara Ratna Bhandara (inner treasure chamber) of Puri Jagannath Temple are missing since 1970, an RTI query has revealed.
The RTI application was filed by Dilip Kumar Baral, from Kamakantia village, at the district treasury authority on September 9 to know the status of the original and duplicate keys of Ratna Bhandara.
The district collectorate provided the details on November 18.
As per the reply, the former treasury officer of Puri had informed the then Collector about the missing keys of Ratna Bhandara.
In a letter dated April 4, 2018, the treasury officer said that “a thorough search was made from the Register of Valuables kept in the strong room from the year 1970 onwards with regard to deposit of the key of Ratna Bhandara of Lord Jagannath Temple. It was revealed that no such keys were ever deposited in the strong room of this treasury.”
Similarly, in another letter dated April 4, 2018, the district office, Puri, confidential section, wrote to the Chief Administrator of Shree Jagannath Temple Administration, informing that “after thorough search made by the District Treasury Authority, Puri, from the records available with them it is ascertained that no such key of Ratna Bhandara of Shree Jagannath Temple, Puri, is deposited in the District Treasury since 1970 as reported by the District Treasury Officer.”
On June 4, 2018, the Odisha government had announced setting up of a judicial commission to probe the missing keys of Ratna Bhandar.
