Wood for Digha idols not from Puri shrine: Odisha government probe

BHUBANESWAR: An Odisha govt probe has dismissed allegations that surplus wood from Puri Jagannath temple had been used to craft idols at the newly consecrated Jagannath shrine in Bengal's Digha, with officials attributing the controversy to a servitor's 'slip of tongue' in a television interview.

Servitor Ramakrushna Dasmohapatra, who attended the Digha temple's inauguration, had claimed during a TV interview in Kolkata that he used surplus wood from the 2015 Nabakalebara to craft the Digha shrine idols.

"We got it investigated by the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) and found no truth in his claim. Dasmohapatra was summoned and asked by SJTA. Dasmohapatra admitted that it was a slip of tongue," law minister Prithiviraj Harichandan said.

The minister confirmed that SJTA officials spoke to temple craftsmen, who verified that excess wood was not taken out of the Puri shrine for the construction of Digha temple idols.

An investigation revealed that Dasmohapatra had commissioned a Bhubaneswar-based artisan for the Digha idols. The SJTA's questioning of the artisan confirmed that he had sourced neem wood from a timber supplier for the project.

"Dasmohapatra's lies and wayward media statement hurt the sentiments of devotees. It is now officially clear that our temple's surplus wood was not taken outside for any other purpose. Dasmohapatra has been asked to submit a written explanation. He is likely to face action (possible suspension for some days) as per the temple act," a SJTA official said.

Minister Harichandan also announced enhanced security measures for Daru Ghara (where surplus wooden logs are stored) inside the shrine. "In 1995-96, following a faulty govt decision, the Daitapati Nijog had stored some surplus wood in their office within the temple premises. Now, we have decided to streamline the system. A committee has been set up to count the leftover wood in Daru Ghara and Daitapati Nijog's office. The wood will be shifted from the Nijog office and stored inside Daru Ghara, under SJTA's safe custody," the minister said.