Bhubaneswar, 17 December (H.S.) : A photograph allegedly taken from the Ratna Singhasan inside the Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri has gone viral on social media, renewing concerns over the enforcement of the long-standing ban on photography inside the shrine.

The image, purportedly showing Bhagwan Jagannath, was uploaded on Instagram by a user identified as Ashirbad945.

Sources said the picture appears to have been taken from close proximity to the highly restricted Ratna Singhasan area, raising questions about how a mobile phone or camera entered the inner precincts despite multiple security layers.

Temple officials said an inquiry is needed to determine when and how the photograph was taken, adding that no official confirmation has yet been made about the photographer’s identity or the timing of the breach.

The incident adds to recent security lapses at the 12th-century shrine. In November, a devotee from Jajpur allegedly entered the sanctum disguised as a servitor and touched the Ratna Singhasan, while another devotee from Ahmedabad was caught inside the Jagamohan with spectacles fitted with a hidden camera.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Monalisa Panda