Puri, May 4: The Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA), Puri on Sunday questioned Daitapati Nijoga Secretary Ramakrushna Dashmahapatra regarding the controversy over the Digha Jagannath Temple in West Bengal.

The issue revolves around the alleged transfer of surplus sacred neem wood from the 2015 Nabakalebara ceremony at Odisha’s 12th-centry Jagannath Temple in Puri to the Digha temple, which was inaugurated this week.

According to sources, SJTA Chief Administrator Arabinda Kumar Padhee, in a meeting today, demanded clarification from Dashmahapatra after his conflicting statements emerged.

Dashmahapatra had initially claimed that the idols in Digha were made from surplus Daru from Puri, but later retracted his statement in a press conference. In response, SJTA issued a show-cause notice to both Dashmahapatra and the Daitapati Nijoga President, giving them seven days to respond, failing which disciplinary action may be taken under the Shree Jagannath Temple Act, 1955.

Furthermore, a complaint has been filed at the Singhadwara Police Station in Puri against Dashmahapatra, alleging that he sold surplus Daru to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee without proper authorization from the temple administration.

The matter has stirred religious and cultural sentiments, as sacred materials from Puri Srimandir hold deep significance for devotees. The SJTA will continue to investigate the claims to determine the truth behind the controversy, sources said.