Jagannath temple keys: Ex-HC judge to probe

BHUBANESWAR: The state government on Wednesday appointed retired judge of the Orissa high court Raghubir Das as the chairman of the judicial commission, constituted on Monday to probe the circumstances leading to the keys of the Jagannath temple's inner treasury going missing.
"I know this is a challenging task. I will soon gather all requisite details from the Puri district administration and the Jagannath temple administration before starting my inquiry. I will ensure that the probe is conducted in a fair manner," Das told reporters. The state government has set a three-month deadline for the commission to complete the inquiry.

The disappearance of the keys, revealed in April, continues to trigger outrage among opposition political parties. The Congress has questioned the roles of the Puri district administration and temple's administration for having neglected the Ratna Bhandar for years. The BJP too has been vocal against the district two bodies. "We wonder how government officials turned a blind eye towards the safety of the treasury for years. The matter came to light in April and the state government sat for two months before ordering an inquiry in what is a clear attempt to hush up a sensitive matter," said BJP leader Samir Mohanty.

Devotees too demand that the Puri administration or the temple's office immediately lodge a complaint with local police on the missing keys.