Bhubaneswar: The Baikuntha Dham Ashram in the Khandagiri area of Bhubaneswar is under scrutiny after it was found to be built on government land, according to an official from the Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA).
As per reports, the ashram sparked controversy after a boy was reportedly presented as the incarnation of Lord Vishnu’s ‘Kalki’ and several photos of the child being worshipped with a flower garland around his neck and sacred Tulsi at his feet have gone viral on social media.
It was learnt that the boy being worshipped in the photo is the son of spiritual commentator Kashinath Mishra, a resident of the Khandagiri area in Bhubaneswar. He has projected his son as the Kalki Avatar.
Of late, a joint team from the General Administration (GA), Revenue and Housing & Urban Development (H&UD) departments conducted a raid at the ashram, on Monday.
The team, along with BDA enforcement officers, carried out an initial survey to measure the land occupied by the ashram.
“The ashram is located on plot numbers 9037 and 9038 in Ghatikia, covering 0.140 acres. After inspection, it was confirmed that this land belongs to the government. Further actions will be taken as per the government’s instructions,” said a BDA official.
Notably, the ashram hit the headline after an outfit named Odisha Samajsebi Mahasangha filed a police complaint, claiming that a man named Kashinath Mishra had stated that his son was the incarnation of Lord Vishnu.
In response, the Odisha State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (OSCPCR) has taken suo motu notice of the incident. The Commission has directed the Khandagiri police to submit a report and has asked the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) to investigate the matter further.
