SC rejects plea for CBI probe in police personnel's entry into Jagannath Puri temple

The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed a writ petition filed by socio-cultural organisation Jagannath Sena seeking a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry in the Jagannath Puri temple violence on October 3 in which many police personnel allegedly entered the temple premises with shoes and guns.

A bench of the apex court, headed by Justice Madan Bhimrao Lokur, dismissed the writ petition on grounds of not finding any merit in it.

On November 2, Jagannath Sena had filed a writ petition in the top court urging for a probe by the CBI into the matter, more than a month after the Supreme Court had barred police from entering the 12th century Puri Jagannath temple with weapons and shoes.

Earlier, the apex court had also taken note of the violence on October 3 that broke out during a protest against introduction of queue system for devotees. The plea was filed by a practising advocate Debasish Misra, who alleged that the police entered the temple with guns following which clashes broke out in the shrine on that day.

Counsel appearing for the Odisha government had told the court that no violence took place inside the temple premises and it was the office of Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA), situated around 500 meters from the main temple, which was attacked and ransacked.

As many as 47 people were arrested in connection with the violence, Odisha government said, adding that nine policemen were injured in the attack.

On October 3, Jagannath Sena had called for a 12-hour dawn-to-dusk shutdown to protest against the introduction of the queue system. As per system, devotees were expected to enter the shrine by forming a queue at the Singhadwara which is the main entrance to the temple.