Bhubaneswar: In yet another alarming breach, a devotee attempting to enter the Puri Jagannath Temple with a spy camera hidden in his spectacles was apprehended by security personnel on Tuesday—marking the third such incident in just a week.
The accused has been identified as Pratish Pal, a resident of Paschim Bardhaman district in West Bengal. He was intercepted at the Vyaghra Dwara (western gate) during routine security screening, where temple personnel grew suspicious of his unusually designed spectacles.
Upon inspection, the glasses were found to contain a concealed camera, following which Pal was taken into custody. His mobile phone and the spy camera spectacles were seized, and further inquiry into his intentions is underway.
This incident follows closely on the heels of a similar case involving Vipul Patel, a devotee from Gujarat, who was caught inside the temple premises on Monday with a hidden camera device. He remains in custody as investigations continue.
Just days earlier, Abhijit Kar, a local devotee, was found filming the sanctum sanctorum using a spy camera embedded in his spectacle frame. Kar later admitted to recording footage of the deities. The visuals were deleted by police, and he was released after submitting a written apology.
The recent spate of security violations has raised serious concerns over surveillance measures at the 12th-century shrine. With multiple attempts to record visuals from inside the sanctum—where photography and videography are strictly prohibited—temple authorities are now expected to intensify checks and review visitor protocols to protect the sanctity of the revered site.
