**Puri:** Sri Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) on Friday gave a clean chit to the servitors in connection with the Snana Purnima mismanagement.
“We examined a 45-minute video footage of the incident. But nowhere we found the servitors taking the devotees near the Snana Mandap (bathing altar), which led to such a situation, “SJTA Chief Suresh Mohapatra said.
It was alleged that a number of servitors, in-charge of the ceremonial bathing rituals of the Trinity, had allowed thousands of devotees to touch the deities despite a ban imposed by SJTA.
“We will be careful in this regard and see that such things do not recur in future,” Mohapatra said.
However, the temple administration’s decision five days ahead of the grand festival is being seen as an attempt to appease the servitors anticipating non-cooperation during the festival.
The temple administration’s clean chit to servitors has drawn flak from various quarters.