Puri: A devotee breathed his last at Shri Gundicha temple today after having Sandhya Darshan of the Lord Jagannath and His siblings in Odisha’s Puri during the annual sojourn of the Holy Trinity.

The deceased was identified as 82-year-old Laxmidhar Khuntia, who belonged to Kakatpur Bazaar of the district. He had come to the shrine along with his family to pay their obeisance to the deities.

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A police source said that the octogenarian was a retired school headmaster. The elderly man was also a senior Congress leader in the district. “Laxmidhar Khuntia felt uneasy and suddenly collapsed. However, the reason behind his death has not been ascertained yet,” the senior official said.

A pall of gloom descended on the locality after news about his sad demise spread.

It is pertinent to mention here that a devotee died on June 4 after falling ill at Lord Jagannath temple in Puri during the performance of Snana Jatra rituals of the presiding deity and His siblings.

The deceased man was identified as Ambalal Bhoi from Rajasthan. He had complained of uneasiness while he was at the 12th Century shrine. He was initially taken to Singhadwar primary health centre and then to the district headquarters hospital in Puri, where doctors declared him dead.