Chinese e-commerce platform's doormat with Jagannath image sparks outrage, SJTA lodges FIR
Bhubaneswar, Jul 31 (PTI): A major controversy erupted in Odisha after it came to light that Chinese e-commerce platform AliExpress was selling doormats featuring the image of Lord Jagannath.
Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) filed a police complaint on Thursday, stating that the act hurt the religious sentiments of Hindus around the world.
The state's Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida criticised as "offensive" the act of printing the image of Lord Jagannath on doormats and selling the products, and demanded an apology from the firm.
Taking to X, Parida said, "Mahaprabhu Jagannath is deeply connected to the soul and emotions of every Odia. I strongly condemn Chinese e-commerce platform @AliExpress_EN for selling doormats featuring Mahaprabhu Jagannath's image. @AliExpress_EN must remove the listing immediately and apologise to devotees for this offensive act."
AliExpress, in response to an X post by Odisha's Congress MLA Sofia Firdous, said that the product has been removed.
"We appreciate your report. The item has been reviewed and removed. Community input helps us improve our platform and strengthen our content checks. Thank you for helping us create a safe and friendly online shopping experience," it said.
Firdous, in her post, stated, "Strongly condemn the blasphemous act of selling doormats with the sacred image of Lord Jagannath on @AliExpress_EN. This is a grave insult to millions of devotees and a serious attack on cultural and religious sentiments. Immediate action must be taken to remove the listing and issue a public apology."
Keeping in view of the public outcry over the doormats, SJTA, a state government body managing temple affairs, filed an FIR at the Cyber police station in Puri over the matter.
"It has come to our knowledge through TV channels and social media platforms that an е-commerce site namely @AliExpress_EN is selling doormats with the sacred image of Shree Jagannath Mahaprabhu. Lord Shree Jagannath Mahaprabhu, the symbol of universal love is worshipped by Hindus. It is an insult to millions of devotees, and a serious attack on cultural and religious sentiments of the Hindus around the world," SJTA OSD (Security) Hemant Kumar Padhi stated in the FIR.
He said that people step on doormats, and hence, it hurts the religious sentiments of Hindus.
"So, it is requested to take appropriate legal action against the culprit as per the law," he said.
Eminent sand artist and Padma Shri awardee, Sudarshan Pattnaik, also condemned the act.
"Jai Jagannath. We appeal to all devotees worldwide to raise their voice against this unacceptable act. The sacred image of Mahaprabhu Jagannath on a doormat sold by @AliExpress_EN is deeply offensive. Remove it, apologise, and ensure this never happens again," he said.
Former MP and BJD leader Amar Patnaik also condemned the e-commerce platform.
"I vehemently condemn the egregious act of selling doormats with the sacred image of Lord Jagannath on AliExpress! This shameless profanity is an affront to the deepest sentiments of millions of devotees, trampling upon the revered iconography with utter disregard.
"It's a desecration of the highest order, and those responsible must be held accountable. The fact that Lord Jagannath's image is being used as a mere commodity is a stark reminder of the blatant disrespect towards Hinduism. Immediate action is imperative to rectify this egregious wrongdoing and restore dignity to the revered deity," he said.
Mahaprabhu Jagannath is deeply connected to the soul and emotions of every Odia. I strongly condemn Chinese e-commerce platform @AliExpress_EN for selling doormats featuring Mahaprabhu Jagannath’s image. @AliExpress_EN must remove the listing immediately and apologise to devotees…
— Pravati Parida (@PravatiPOdisha) July 30, 2025
Strongly condemn the blasphemous act of selling doormats with the sacred image of Lord Jagannath on @AliExpress_EN.
— Sofia Firdous (@sofiafirdous1) July 30, 2025
This is a grave insult to millions of devotees and a serious attack on cultural and religious sentiments.
Immediate action must be taken to remove the listing and…
We appreciate your report. The item has been reviewed and removed. Community input helps us improve our platform and strengthen our content checks. Thank you for helping us create a safe and friendly online shopping experience.
— AliExpress (@AliExpress_EN) July 31, 2025
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Slain Australia beach shooting suspect native of Hyderabad: T'gana police
Hyderabad/Melbourne (PTI): Sajid Akram, the 50-year-old slain suspect in a mass shooting at a Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach in Australia, was an Indian citizen hailing from Hyderabad, Telangana Police revealed on Tuesday.
While he had migrated to Australia 27 years ago, Akram carried an Indian passport. Akram, along with his 24-year-old son Naveed Akram, recently travelled to the Philippines on an Indian passport.
Akram, one of the two suspects in the mass shooting that has left 15 people dead and dozens injured, migrated to Australia in 1998 and had limited contact with his family here since then, the Telangana DGP's office said in a statement.
"Sajid Akram (50) is originally from Hyderabad, India. He completed his B.Com degree in Hyderabad and migrated to Australia in search of employment, approximately 27 years ago, in November 1998," it said.
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He married a European-origin woman before settling permanently in Australia. The couple have one son, Naveed (the second suspect who is in custody at a hospital in Australia) and one daughter, it said.
Naveed and Akram's daughter were born in Australia and are citizens of that country, the statement said.
On Tuesday, Australian Federal Police Commissioner Krissy Barrett described the mass shooting as "a terrorist attack inspired by the Islamic State."
According to Australian authorities, the suspects were a father and son, aged 50 and 24. The older man, who was identified as Sajid Akram, was shot dead.
The Telangana police said Akram visited India on six occasions after migrating to Australia, primarily for family-related reasons such as property matters and to meet his elderly parents.
It is understood that he did not travel to India even at the time of his father's demise, the statement said.
The family members have further expressed no knowledge of his radical mindset or activities, nor of the circumstances that led to his radicalisation, police said.
"The factors that led to the radicalisation of Sajid Akram and his son, Naveed, appear to have no connection with India or any local influence in Telangana," Telangana police said.
Telangana Police further said it has no adverse record against Akram during his stay in India before his departure in 1998.
The state police said it remains committed to cooperating with central agencies and other counterparts, as and when required, and urged the public and media to avoid speculation or attribution without verified facts.
Quoting security sources, Australia's ABC News reported that Akram and Naveed travelled to the Philippines to receive "military-style training".
"Investigators are now examining the Akrams' ties to an international jihadist network, after discovering the pair travelled to Manila in early November," it said, quoting officials briefed on the investigation.
The Philippines Bureau of Immigration confirmed the pair arrived in the Philippines from Australia on November 1, declaring the southern city of Davao - a hotbed for Islamic militants since the 1990s - as their destination, it said.
"They left the country on November 28, 2025, on a connecting flight from Davao to Manila, with Sydney as their final destination," ABC News quoted the Philippines' Bureau of Immigration spokesperson Dana Sandoval as saying.
Sandoval said Akram entered the country on an Indian passport, while his son, Naveed, entered on an Australian passport.
In the Philippines, Undersecretary of the Presidential Communications Office and Press Officer for Malacanang Palace Claire Castro said that the National Security Council (NSC) is currently looking into reports that the father and son duo travelled to the country a month before the attack.
