SJTA Relaxes Rules On Entry Into Jagannath Temple For Local Devotees

Puri: Bowing to the pressure of the locals, who went on the rampage here on Wednesday protesting against the ‘dhadi darshan’ (queue system), the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) decided to relax the rules for their entry into Jagannath Temple.

A decision to this effect was taken at a meeting presided over by Puri collector Jyoti Prakash Das with the five-member Shanti (peace) Committee later in the day.

Watch: Puri Bandh Turns Violent As Mob Ransacks SJTA Office

Talking to mediapersons after the meeting, the collector said the local devotees can enter the temple through the north, west and south gates by showing their identity card.

Talking about the violence perpetrated by the irate mob, he said the IG (Central Range) was examining the CCTV and video footage to identify the persons involved in the ransacking of the properties and assets and appropriate action would be initiated against them.

He also informed that the convener of the Jagannath Sena, Priyadarshan Patnaik, who was detained by the police, had been released.