Bhubaneswar, March 15 -- A dispute between two groups of villagers has led to the locking of the Puri's Baba Kamaleswar temple, bringing religious activities at the shrine to a halt on Sunday. The conflict arose between the 35 Mouzas of Krushnaprasad and residents of Panchupada village over control of temple administration and rituals.

Longstanding Tradition Disrupted

For nearly 79 years, the rituals and traditions of Baba Kamaleswar had been carried out through the joint efforts of the 35 Mouzas. However, tensions emerged this year when residents of Panchupada insisted that all decisions regarding the temple should be taken exclusively by their village.

Administrative Intervention

Following the dispute, Parikud Raja Santosh Chandra D...