Cheating at Puri Srimandir: Fake Receipt Exposed in Patitapabana Bana Ritual

Puri: A shocking incident has surfaced at the revered Jagannath Temple in Puri, where a devotee was allegedly duped with a forged receipt for the Patitapabana Bana ritual.

The ritual, which allows devotees to hoist a flag atop the Neelachakra, is strictly regulated through a lottery system managed by the Sri Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA).

According to reports, Bijendra Kedia, a devotee from Hyderabad, paid Rs 5,600 to a man identified as Ranjit Kar for the ritual service.

However, temple authorities later confirmed that the receipt issued was fake and not generated by the SJTA.

The Chief Administrator has issued a notice to the concerned servitor, demanding a reply within three days. Meanwhile, a police complaint has been lodged at the Singhadwar police station.

Officials reiterated that the Patitapabana Bana ritual is conducted only through the official lottery system, and any deviation amounts to fraud.

This incident has raised serious concerns about malpractice and exploitation of devotees at one of India’s most sacred shrines.