Puri Temple Ratna Bhandar Key missing: Odisha CM orders judicial probe

In a major development, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Monday ordered a judicial probe into the missing of the Ratna Bhandar keys of Puri Srimandir in Odisha.

As per the order, a retired High court judge will investigate the matter and submit the report within three months. The inquiry commission will probe how and under what circumstances keys of the Ratna Bhandar went missing.

The development came after Law Minister Pratap Jena met him at the secretariat here to discuss the matter.

The non-availability of keys of Ratna Bhandar had invited criticism from various sectors in the state.

Expressing displeasure over the incident, Puri Shankaracharya Swami Nischalananda Saraswati of Govardhan Peeth had yesterday demanded probe into the keys missing case.

Members of Jagannath Sena and Sachetana Nagrika Manch had also staged protest in front of the Singhdwara (Lions gate) of the 12th century shrine in this connection.

Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) Niranjan Patnaik had also criticised the State Government over the matter.