Bhubaneswar: Amid sharp reactions among devotees of Lord Jagannath over Adapa Bije Pahandi mishap during Ratha Jatra in Puri, Odisha Deputy Chief Minister and Law Minister clarified the matter today.

The two cabinet colleagues of Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi termed the incident as 'minor' and attributed it to the 'will of the Lord'.

"It was a minor accident and a divine play of the Lord," said Deputy CM Pravati Parida and Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan on the incident in which the idol of Lord Balabhadra slipped on the Charamala (makeshift staircase) attached to the Taladhwaja chariot during Adapa Bije Pahandi ritual on Tuesday.

Speaking to reporters, the Deputy CM said, "It was a minor accident and Leelamaya's leela (an act of Charismatic Lord). Nothing serious happened to anyone in the incident. Those who were hospitalised recovered quickly. It should be considered as 'Lord's will'."

Clarifying the matter, the Law Minister said that the report on the mishap had been submitted to the Chief Minister last night.

"It was the divine act of Lord. The servitors, who were injured in the incident, recovered soon after first aid at the hospital. They joined the 'pahandi ritual' later. Only one servitor, who was reportedly injured seriously, underwent CT scan today. However, the test report came normal. Hence, it was a minor accident," he said.

The minister claimed that he spoke to other servitors regarding the incident, and they all termed it as 'Act of Lord'.

However, all measures will be taken to ensure smooth conduct of all rituals during Bahuda Jatra of Lord Jagannath, he added.

Worth mentioning, five servitors were injured when idol of Lord Balabhadra slipped on the Charamala during pahandi ritual atop the chariot.

Reports said that idol fell straight down on the Charamala while descending from Taladhwaja chariot parked at Sharadhabali during ceremonial procession being conducted by servitors to the Adapa Mandap of the Gundicha Temple in Puri on Tuesday evening.