Puri, October 3, 2018: Agitating Jagannath Sena activists on Wednesday ransacked Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) office, vandalised Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Maheswar Mohanty’s house and broke barricades outside the Jagannath Temple during a bandh call given Sena opposing queue darshan system at the 12th century shrine.
Aggrieved over queue darshan system at the Jagannath Temple, the Jagannath Sena called the bandh. Activists ransacked temple office, barged into the residence of Revenue and Disaster Management Minister and Puri MLA Maheswar Mohanty. They also pelted stones at the residence of Puri SP Sarathk Sarangi to vent their ire.
The bandh enforcers went berserk and ransacked furniture, flower pot and the office of Sri Jagannath Temple Administration on the Grand Road. They also dismantled the barricades and set afire the shed constructed for devotees in front Singha Dwara (Lion’s Gate) of the temple.
Similar scenes were also witnessed at the house of Minister Mohanty where the irate protesters resorted to massive vandalism. They barged in to the house of the Minister and ransacked the home furniture, flower pots and some vehicles.
The official residence of Superintendent of Police was also not spared as the protesters pelted stone at the building.
Defying Supreme Court order, hundreds of servitors and devotees dismantle barricades, jump queues and barged into Jagannath temple through four gates.
The agitators staged a road blockade on the Bada Danda (Grand Road) by burning tyres bringing vehicular movement to a grinding halt.
Meanwhile, Sena convenor Priyadarshan Patnaik was taken into preventive custody by police to avoid any untoward incident.
Almost all the business establishments, Government offices, schools and colleges were closed in view of the bandh call.
