Puri, June 25: In a dramatic turn of events, Haladhar Dasmahapatra, the sevayat who had initially alleged theft of sacred modaks meant for Lord Jagannath, has now retracted his claims, giving a clean chit to the Shree Jagannath Temple administration.
Dasmahapatra, who had earlier submitted a written complaint accusing the administration of negligence in the alleged disappearance of the Dashamula Modaks, has reversed his stance. He now asserts that the temple authorities are not at fault.
According to his revised statement, Kaviraj sevaks had deposited 313 unoffered modaks in the temple treasury (Garada), which remained untouched by the commander. However, other sevaks later collected the modaks, and only 243 were found, leaving 70 unaccounted for. While the discrepancy remains, Dasmahapatra has not clarified who might be responsible for the missing items.
The controversy had drawn attention from the state government, prompting Law Minister Prithviraj Harichandan to seek a detailed report on the incident. The Minister, addressing the media, dismissed the allegations, stating that no theft had occurred, and further clarified that the modaks in question were never even prepared.
Calling the issue an unnecessary controversy, the Minister alleged that certain Daita sevaks were attempting to mislead the public by falsely claiming theft. He confirmed that an investigation would be conducted against individuals spreading misinformation, with legal action to follow as per established protocols.
The matter continues to generate discussion within temple circles and among devotees, even as officials urge restraint and await findings from the ongoing probe.
