A special queue system intended for elderly and differently-abled devotees at the revered Puri Jagannath Temple sparked a major confrontation between police and temple authorities on Sunday. The altercation led to a significant disruption, with the darshan system being stalled for nearly half an hour, inconveniencing hundreds of pilgrims.
Root of the Conflict: A "Special" Queue
Police officials maintained that the dedicated queue was set up to ensure the smooth and safe movement of senior citizens and devotees with disabilities. However, the arrangement was met with strong opposition from a section of the temple personnel. They labeled the queue as illegal and argued against its implementation, leading to a heated argument at the site.
The situation escalated when a temple official allegedly took steps that paused the darshan process for approximately 30 minutes. This forced the intervention of top district administration officials. District Collector Dibya Jyoti Parida and Superintendent of Police Prateek Singh rushed to the temple to mediate and resolve the standoff. Following their discussions, order was restored and the sacred darshan for devotees resumed.
Contradictory Claims from Both Sides
Servitor Biswanath Samantaray cited a lack of coordination as the core issue. He stated that temple authorities believed the row was an illegal queue meant for VIPs or protocol darshan, and deemed the subsequent disruption of the religious ceremony as unjustified.
Temple commander Sudhanshu Sekhar Pattnaik provided a detailed account from the shrine's perspective. He explained that at Kirtan Chakada, nine barricades are present. "While eight were open for all devotees, one was kept closed. When questioned, the special security force personnel said it was reserved for protocol darshan. I objected and instructed that devotees be allowed through. At that moment, a havildar assaulted me," Pattnaik alleged.
Police Allegations and Aftermath
Police sources presented a different narrative. An officer claimed they tried to explain the humanitarian purpose of the queue, but a temple official misbehaved with police personnel, declared the queue illegal, and instigated other staff against them. A formal complaint has been lodged by a woman police officer at the Singhdwar police station against a temple official.
Police further emphasized that temple authorities should concentrate on rituals and servitor coordination, leaving security and crowd management to the trained forces. "For better crowd control, we have created multiple queues. Instead of assisting us, they obstructed our efforts," the officer added. In response to the incident, the temple administration has announced that an inquiry is being conducted to ascertain the full sequence of events.
