Odisha Police Probe Offensive Post on Lord Jagannath

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Police have launched a probe into a controversial and offensive social media post targeting Lord Jagannath, allegedly made from a Pakistani-based account on ‘X’ (formerly Twitter).

The investigation was initiated following a formal complaint by renowned sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik. The user in question, identified as Shahbaz Ashraf (@Shahbaz_56), is suspected to be operating from Pakistan.

According to police sources, Sudarsan had shared a video on May 9 showcasing the sacred ‘Patitapaban Aarti’—an early morning ritual performed at the entrance of the Jagannath Temple in Puri. In response, the account posted two highly objectionable and derogatory comments on May 10, which authorities have described as hateful and aimed at inciting religious sentiments.

Police have approached the social media platform for verification of the account’s origin and have requested the immediate removal of the offensive content.

The incident has sparked outrage among devotees and social media users, with many demanding strict action against the account for hurting the religious sentiments of millions of Jagannath followers.