WB devotee climbs atop Puri temple, rescued

Bhubaneswar: A devotee from West Bengal created quite a flutter in Puri on Monday by climbing atop the nata mandap (dance hall) of the Jagannath Temple there. Police, however, quickly swung into action and brought him down safely.
They suspect that Rakesh Hazra, 23, who hails from Beldanga in West Bengal, is mentally unstable.
“Our personnel found the man climbing the temple and promptly brought him down. He was taken to the Singhadwar police station for verification of his antecedents. The exact motive of his act is being investigated,” a senior police officer said. During questioning, Hazare kept mum about his motive.
On May 1, a trasgender person committed suicide by jumping from the Gumuta, a dome at the entrance of the temple. Last month, a devotee from Kurda vandalised some earthen stoves in the temple’s kitchen, raising security concerns at the 12th century shrine.
“We have enhanced our vigilance and security system at the temple. Thanks to the the alertness of our personnel, the devotee could be spotted and rescued immediately,” the officer said.