Sri Jagannath Sena had called for bandh in Puri soon after the queue system was introduced Monday in the temple on trial basis.
Puri: Nine policemen were injured as violence broke out here Wednesday during a 12-hour bandh called by a socio-cultural organisation protesting introduction of a queue system for devotees visiting the Jagannath Temple, the police said.
The dawn-to-dusk shutdown in the seaside town called by Sri Jagannath Sena turned violent as a mob barged into the 12th century shrine, uprooted barricades erected on Baisi Pahacha and near Singhadwara and ransacked the office of Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA), they said.
The protesters ransacked a police outpost and an information centre near the Singhadwara as well as the town police station, besides burning tyres and indulging in stone pelting, they said.
While around nine police personnel were injured in stone pelting, many structures suffered extensive damage in the mob attack, prompting the police to use mild force in order to control the situation, a senior police official said.
Soon after the queue system was introduced in the temple on Monday on an experimental basis, Sri Jagannath Sena had given a call for Puri bandh to oppose the move.
The agitation turned violent after the police picked up Sri Jagannath Sena convener Priyadarshan Patnaik and held him under preventive detention.
Asserting that the stir would be further intensified, Patnaik said the manner in which the new system was introduced had hurt the sentiments of a large number of devotees.
Angry over his detention, activists of Jagannath Sena and locals held a demonstration demanding the immediate release of Patnaik. They also blocked the Bada Danda – The Grand Avenue – by burning tyres in a number of places.
The agitators allegedly pelted stones at the residence of the district SP and local MLA and a minister, police said.
Normal life was crippled in the holy town as shops and business establishments as well as educational institution were shut, while traffic came to a halt with protesters holding picketing and blockade at many places, police said.
Adequate police force was deployed in order to restore normalcy in the pilgrim town where the situation remained tense, the police said.
Puri Collector Jyoti Prakash Das said quick steps were taken to bring the situation under control and prevent any further flare up.
An official said the queue system was introduced on an experimental basis and a review would be done as locals and servitors opposed it.-PTI
The barricade made out side of the lion gate for queue has been modified suddenly and administration unnecessarily made it very lengthy.it became impossible to reach at the deities in earlier tfor darshan of the functions became almost impossible.no one could give A pranaam from Aruna stambha to baaish paahaacha from bada daanda in straight and come by saastanga pranaam or reciting sankeertan in a group.in the bhitara bedhaa of the jagannath temple a barricade made to prohibit the pilgrims from bhitara bedhaa parikramaa and to prohibit the darshan of satyanarayan temple etc situated in the left side of bhitara bedhaa before the darshan of Lord jagannath.the passage given through the barricade provided by the administration was so narrow and in odd that pilgrims could not be able to surpass it easily by person or group or with family.it was very inconvenient for the people and purohits to perform sraadha on bash paahaacha.barricade made all of them hostile as there was no gate to enter or exit from the area.no arrangement was provided to throw the garbage of sraaddha or for senior citizensperforming sraaddha.no indication was even there for .though each gate of jagannath temple is meant for a maarga separately,administration made it sound to dis obey the ritual ie:Dharma artha kaama and mokhysa. To obey the supreme Court and commission report ,odisha govt dis obey the traditional religious believes of the odia people of odisha.it tried to just turn this temple only a religious tourist place for non odia people ,vip persons and a money collection centre .now administration has divided odias into localites and nonlocalites.it will hamper to the culture of odisha.even though every odia person accepts Sri jagannath as purna avataar,srimat sankarachaarya of govardhan pitha accept his as anshaavataar and ispite of the basic difference,every odia family accepts shankaraachaarya as final authority and the highest decision maker of odia Hindu people the mukti mandap sabhaa of Puri accept him as the final authority of the organisation.my advise to the govt is to go through a vivid discussion with all muths ,sampradaayas and jagannath temple authorities of different areas of odisha,make a sufficient flexible arrangements for odia pilgrims,saadhus,senior citizens,to teach politeness,well behavior and friendly nature to the police persons meant for the temple.administration should try to introduce live coverage of some pujas and aaratis .this will help all.last not least supreme Court should not try to be confined within the law and personified views only.it should must be kind enough to give judgements to restore dignity of the common people’s socio cultural religious tradions including regional tradition and belief.