Argus News - Altercation Between Servitors, Security Personnel Disrupts Darshan at Jagannath Temple

Puri, Jan 4: An unpleasant situation unfolded inside the Jagannath Temple in Puri on Sunday following a heated argument between some servitors and special security personnel over protocol darshan, briefly disrupting the smooth conduct of rituals and darshan for devotees.

The incident occurred near the 'Kirtan Chakada' area, ahead of the 'Sata Pahacha', where a verbal altercation broke out between servitors and members of the special security force deployed at the temple. The dispute reportedly centred on allowing protocol darshan for security personnel through barricaded passages meant for devotees.

According to a source, the servitors objected to the use of a barricaded route for protocol darshan by security personnel. This led to a tense situation, resulting in pushing and jostling inside the temple premises. There were allegations that a member of the special security force pushed and abused one servitor during the confrontation.

The disagreement soon escalated, drawing servitors into the argument. As a mark of protest, servitors temporarily stopped darshan through the Sata Pahacha queue. Following the completion of the morning rituals, darshan was suspended for a brief period. Normal darshan resumed later after discussions and intervention by senior officials.

Explaining the sequence of events, temple commander Sudhanshu Sekhar Pattnaik said the issue arose due to the selective closure of barricades.
“There are nine barricades at Kirtan Chakada. Eight were open for devotees, while one was kept closed. When I asked about it, the JTP told me it was meant for protocol darshan,” Pattnaik said.

He added that he instructed the security personnel to allow devotees through the closed barricade to ease congestion.
“When devotees were being allowed through that barricade, some JTP personnel standing behind attacked me. The servitors protested the attack, which led to the disruption of rituals and darshan for some time,” the temple commander said.

Pattnaik confirmed that no formal complaint has been lodged at the police station so far.
“We will inform our higher authorities about the incident,” he said.

The Shree Jagannath Temple Administration has not issued any official statement on the matter yet.

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Sundays usually witness a heavy rush of devotees at the Jagannath Temple. The altercation between the servitors and security personnel amid the crowd has left devotees distressed, raising concerns over coordination and protocol management inside the revered shrine.