Two separate social media incidents targeting the revered Shree Jagannath Temple have sparked widespread concern and swift police action in the holy city of Puri today.
In the first incident, a Facebook account under the name “Juli Rani Panda” posted explicit threats against the Jagannath Temple, the Puri Grand Centre, and Rajya Sabha MP Subhasish Khuntia. The post warned that a bomb would soon be detonated at the temple, gunfire would erupt at the Grand Centre, and MP Khuntia would be shot. The chilling message has triggered fear among residents and devotees, especially in light of previous intelligence alerts about possible terrorist threats to the temple.
Authorities and the public are questioning whether the “Juli Rani Panda” account is genuine or a fake profile created to spread panic. Discussions are rife about the motive behind the post, and police have confirmed they are actively investigating the matter.
In a separate case, Puri Cyber Police Station registered an FIR over a viral AI-generated video that depicted Lord Jagannath being worshipped in an ‘objectionable’ and ‘inappropriate’ manner. The video was uploaded from an Instagram account named “vishvrajcreation”, prompting strong backlash from devotees who found the content offensive to religious sentiments.
Puri SP Prateek Singh stated that strict action would be taken against anyone spreading misinformation or propaganda about Mahaprabhu on social media. Police have sought details from the platform hosting the video and are probing the intent behind its creation and dissemination. The FIR was lodged by the temple’s special security officer at the Singhadwar Cyber Police Station.
Both incidents underscore growing concerns over the misuse of social media to target religious icons and public figures, with authorities emphasising heightened vigilance.
