Puri, Aug 27: In a serious breach of temple protocol, a devotee from West Bengal was caught attempting to record visuals inside the sacred Jagannath Temple in Puri using a hidden camera embedded in his spectacles.

According to reports, Arup Ray, a resident of North 24 Parganas, visited the temple with his family for darshan.

Temple security personnel grew suspicious of Ray’s unusual eyewear and intercepted him while he was inside the sanctum. Upon inspection, it was discovered that the spectacles contained a concealed recording device. Ray was immediately detained and handed over to the Singhadwar police station for further interrogation.

Photography and videography are strictly prohibited inside the 12th-century shrine, and multiple signboards warn devotees against such actions. Despite this, incidents involving hidden cameras have been reported repeatedly in recent months, raising concerns over the misuse of modern spy gadgets in religious spaces.

Puri Superintendent of Police Prateek Singh confirmed that Ray’s mobile phone and the camera-equipped glasses have been seized. A case has been registered under Section 30 of the Shree Jagannath Temple Act, and the seized items will be sent to the State Forensic Science Laboratory in Bhubaneswar for examination.

Authorities are investigating the motive behind the act and whether it was part of a larger scheme. The incident has sparked renewed calls for stricter surveillance and legal reforms to prevent such breaches in the future.

The Odisha government is reportedly considering amendments to the Shree Jagannath Temple Act to classify the use of hidden cameras inside the temple as a cognizable offense, with provisions for stricter punishment.

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