Security Heightened at Puri’s Jagannath Temple Following Bomb Threat

Puri: Security measures have been bolstered at the historic Jagannath Temple in Puri after a threatening post on Facebook warned of a bomb attack on the revered shrine.

The development has raised concerns among devotees and locals in the pilgrim town.

According to police officials, the threatening message appeared on Tuesday from a Facebook account under the name ” ‘Juli Rani Panda’. The post not only claimed an imminent bomb detonation at the Jagannath Temple but also threatened gunfire at the Puri Grand Centre shopping complex and an attack on BJD Rajya Sabha MP Subhasish Khuntia.

One individual has been detained in connection with the post, and a case has been registered at the Puri cyber police station. Investigations are ongoing to determine the authenticity and origin of the threat. The woman whose name was associated with the account has denied any involvement, alleging that an unidentified person may have created a fake profile in her name to cause panic. Based on her statement, police questioned and detained a man.

Puri SP Prateek Singh confirmed that a special team, led by the City DSP, is examining the suspicious social media account and related links. He emphasized that security around the temple and sensitive areas has been strengthened as a precautionary measure, even as preliminary probes suggest the threat may be a hoax.