Bhubaneswar: A servitor of Jagannath temple at Odisha’s Puri town died after he complained of chest pain on the precincts of the 12th century shrine today.

The deceased has been identified as Jagannath Mekap, a Suarbadu servitor at the temple.

Mekap, a resident of Dolamandap Sahi at Puri, collapsed after he complained of chest pain while performing his duty during the Dwiprahar Dhoopa ritual of Lord Jagannath and his siblings Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra in the afternoon.

Mekap was immediately rushed to the Puri District Headquarters Hospital (DHH) by the fellow servitors and temple officials. However, he was declared dead on arrival by the doctors.  

“Mekap was suffering from some heart ailments for the last two years. He was under medication. He collapsed on the temple premises today afternoon. Mekap was immediately rushed to the District Headquarters Hospital (DHH). However, he was declared dead by the doctors. It is suspected that the servitor might have died of heart attack,” said Puri Collector Siddharth Shankar Swain.