Puri: Despite the entry of IIC Deepak Jena into Puri temple by violating the lockdown norms stirring controversy earlier, a contractor and his associates reportedly entered the Puri temple Monday, violating serious lockdown norms.
The incident sparked severe criticism from all quarters, with the servitors also questioning the role of Srimandir administration.
A report said that the contractor along with another person visited the shrine for construction of Jala Krida Mandap. The visit of the duo was captured on CCTV cameras installed at the main gate of the shrine.
Puri district is coronavirus-free with the lone patient having recovered from the disease. In addition, the temple is also closed for devotees and only servitors are allowed entry to perform the daily rituals of the deities amid the COVID-19 lockdown.
“It needs to be ascertained if he had been tested for coronavirus. If any servitor gets infected, the disease will spread to the entire community. The administration should look into the matter,” senior servitor Binayak Das Mohapatra told the media.
Questions are being raised on whether his health screening was conducted and who granted him permission to enter the 12th century shrine.
“How was he permitted to enter the shrine especially a few weeks before Rath Yatra?” questioned Sachetan Nagarika Manch president Prasanna Kumar Das.
Pujapanda Nojog secretary Madhab Pujapanda, however, said that they he not know where the contractor came from.
Notably, an inspector-in-charge of Barachana police station in Jajpur district, Deepak Kumar Jena was suspended for entering Srimandir along with three other women stated to be his family members in violation of lockdown guidelines. The cop was found to have travelled to Puri along with his family members in a stolen SUV.
PNN