The holy town of Puri, a major pilgrimage centre for the Hindus and a tourist attraction, seems to be turning into the crime capital of Odisha. The recent arrest of six persons in connection with the murder of Krushna Chandra Pratihari, the general secretary of Suar Mahasuar Nijog of the Sri Jagannath temple in Puri, has exposed the dark underbelly of the town which is thronged daily by thousands of Jagannath devotees and visitors from various parts of the country.
Police investigation has made it clear that it was a revenge crime that was well planned and carried out by supari killers. The deceased was fired upon from close range and had hardly any chance of surviving. The disturbing trend of high-profile crimes with open use of guns began in the pilgrim town a few years ago when former minister Maheshwar Mohanty, who hails from Puri and has represented the Puri assembly seat in the past, was shot at while returning home.
The attack on Mohanty, perhaps the most influential politician of Puri, was apparently the fallout of political rivalry. But in certain quarters it was also seen as the outcome of a clash of business interests. Ever since, there have been other killings in the temple town which has also witnessed cases of physical attacks, molestation and rape.
This is a disturbing trend and can adversely affect the hospitality industry on which Puri thrives. Tourism in the temple town has already suffered a lot in the last few years due to a variety of factors, including cyclones and Covid-19, and one more blow is likely to cripple it. If that happens the livelihood of nearly half of the population in Puri will be badly affected.
Entirely different from the rest of Odisha in terms of culture and food habits, Puri enjoys a unique place in the hearts of Odias. They rever it as ‘Sri Kshetra’ (the land of Lord Jagannath). This land is also the birthplace of several art forms, including Odissi, the dance which has given the state a unique identity at the international level. There is hardly any famous art form in the state that has not emanated from Puri and does not trace its genesis to the 12th-century temple of Lord Jagannath.
The seaside town of Puri is equally famous for its beautiful beaches. Tourists from around the country and even abroad flock to the town to have a dip in the sea. Beachside tourism in Puri has been thriving because of this. All this will take a hit if the town earns notoriety for crime and visitors start feeling unsafe here. The administration must do everything within its powers to curb crime in this sacred place.
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