The Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) has issued notices to several servitors and local BJP MLA Jayanta Kumar Sarangi for allegedly violating temple rules on the last Snana Purnima. The servitors have been asked to reply immediately in this regard.
Servitors Somnath Khuntia and Rajaram Khuntia had allegedly facilitated Puri MLA Sarangi to reach the Snana Mandap (bathing platform) on the day of Snana Purnima, thereby flouting the rules laid down by the temple administration. The two servitors have, meanwhile, been suspended by the administration.
The SJTA had prohibited presence of servitors not having any connection with the Snana Purnima rituals on the Snana Mandap. Violating the norms, several non-concerned servitors had also reached the Snana Mandap and touched the idols of the deities.
The notices have been served after examination of CCTV footages of the incident.
On the other hand, MLA Sarangi said he did not touch the idols while having darshan at the Snana Mandap. “I was not aware of the rules and those present at the spot did not stop me from going near the deities,” he pleaded.
