7 found with mobile phones inside Odisha’s Sri Mandir, detained

Puri: The Singhadwara police today detained seven persons after they were found with mobile phones inside Sri Jagannath temple premises in Odisha’s Puri.

The visitors hail from Jharkhand, Haryana and West Bengal. Police have also seized seven smartphones from their possession.

According to reports, some temple sevayats (servitors) spotted them inside the temple premises holding mobile phones.

The sevayats then drew the attention of Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) about the matter following which the visitors were detained.

However, the detainees said that they were not asked by policemen to keep mobile phones outside the temple before entering it.

Worth mentioning, several selfies inside the temple premises had gone viral in the recent past raising questions over security arrangements at the 12th-century shrine.

Also read: Tourists caught inside Odisha’s Puri Jagannath temple while taking selfie.

Notably, carrying of camera phones, cameras and video recording devices inside the temple are prohibited.