Threatening Graffiti at Puri Jagannath Temple Sparks Terror Alert, Probe Begins
Eyewitnesses reported that the graffiti also featured a few phone numbers with instructions to “call,” along with phrases such as “Kula Budiba (you will get destroyed)” and the word “terrorists” written in bold.
Bhubaneswar: Authorities in Puri have stepped up vigilance after threatening graffiti suggesting a possible terror strike on the iconic Jagannath Temple was discovered on Wednesday, sending shockwaves through the pilgrim town.
The messages, scrawled on the wall of Budhi Maa Thakurani temple near the Balisahi entrance of the Heritage Corridor (Parikrama Prakalpa) Marg, directly referenced Prime Minister Narendra Modi and warned, “Terrorists will destroy the temple.”
Eyewitnesses reported that the graffiti also featured a few phone numbers with instructions to “call,” along with phrases such as “Kula Budiba (you will get destroyed)” and the word “terrorists” written in bold.
The writings were found in two separate spots on the temple wall. Adding to the unease, miscreants allegedly damaged decorative lighting in the vicinity — a stretch that lies within the southern corridor of the Parikrama Marg, an area under constant CCTV surveillance and manned by security personnel.
Locals have questioned how such acts could occur in a high-security zone without detection. This incident has reignited debate over the effectiveness of existing security arrangements for the 12th-century shrine, one of Hinduism’s holiest pilgrimage sites.
The Union home ministry and the National Security Guard (NSG) have previously urged the Odisha government to enhance the temple’s security. However, residents allege that many of the expensive CCTV cameras installed under the corridor project are defunct, describing the multi-crore system as “more ornamental than operational.”
The Puri District Police have launched a probe to track down the culprits, while security agencies are reviewing footage from functional cameras. Officials have assured that additional measures are being put in place to safeguard the temple complex.
The Jagannath Temple, which draws millions of devotees from across India and abroad each year, has been on the radar of security agencies due to its religious significance and the large gatherings it hosts during major festivals.
