Puri: A servitor of the Puri Jagannath Temple was suspended and barred from entering the shrine’s premises until further orders on Thursday after allegations of involvement in immoral activities surfaced against him. The decision comes following his recent arrest in a cybercrime case.The accused was identified as Daitapati servitor Shraddhananda Das Mahapatra.Acting under the provisions of the Shri Jagannath Temple Act, 1955, the shrine’s chief administrator ordered his suspension with immediate effect. The administration stated that the alleged misconduct had affected the dignity and reputation of both the temple and the servitor community, prompting disciplinary action. Arabinda Padhee, the chief administrator, said that while the majority of servitors maintain discipline and follow traditional codes of conduct during rituals, isolated incidents of misconduct by a few individuals bring disrepute to the entire servitor community. He emphasized that any form of indiscipline or inappropriate behaviour will not be tolerated by the temple administration.
