Puri bandh: Protests by Shree Jagannath Sena members turn violent, Section 144 imposed near Jagannath Temple

Puri: Protests led by members of Shree Jagannath Sena turned violent by Wednesday afternoon after several demonstrators and devotees took to streets to burn tyres and vandalising property while observing a dusk-to-dawn bandh.

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A swarm of protestors tried to enter the Jagannath Temple Trust office and create a ruckus.

Section 144 has been imposed in several areas around the temple to maintain law and order. 

The protesters also reportedly stormed into Puri MLA Maheswar Mohanty’s house. 

Traffic movement across the entire city came to a grinding halt during the 12-hour bandh. 

The protestors have an eight-point demand including the scrapping of recently implemented queue system at Puri Srimandir. 

As per the new system, introduced by the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) October 1 onwards, devotees will have to stand in a queue at the Singhadwara and move inside the temple through barricades. There will be separate barricades for men and women.