Body of young man found in Puri's Jagannath temple well

The body of a young man was found floating in a well inside the Sri Jagannath temple premises today, affecting rituals at the shrine.

The body was identified as that of a 28-year-old employed by a supakar (temple cook) to supply water from the well, police said. The youth was suspected to have slipped into the Jamuna well near the temple kitchen while drawing water last night,
police said.

The rope and bucket used for drawing water were also recovered along with the body, while containers for carrying water to the kitchen were found nearby.

The elaborate daily rituals conducted at the temple, which dates back to the 12th century, remained suspended since the mangala aarti of the deities this morning.

The presiding deities — Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra — were given mahasnana (holy bath), sources from the temple administration said.

A case of unnatural death has been registered with the Singhadwar police station