‘Doosri Radha’ in Puri for reunion with Lord

He then went to the temple for darshan of Lord Jagannath, considered an incarnation of Krishna. Before entering the temple he daubed his feet with the red ‘alata’ colour.

Earlier, as he alighted from the train at the Bhubaneswar railway station, dressed in a salwar kameej with an odhni over his head, sporting bangles and earrings, he immediately cornered all attention. While waiting acquaintances and mediapersons closed in on him, curious onlookers at the station jostled with each other to have a glimpse of the police officer. An unfazed Panda obliged all when he broke into hymns and chants in praise of Lord Krishna.

Panda, who had recently left his official residence in Lucknow, said he had surrendered himself completely to the Lord and his life was being guided by His instructions.

‘‘I am going to Puri as my beloved ‘Swami’ Lord wanted me to. I will go wherever and do whatever He asks me to. I will stay in Puri as long as Swami instructs me to,’’ Panda said.

Panda said that his feelings for Lord Krishna and the realisation that he was destined to be His consort dawned sometime in 2000, when he was on a visit to Orissa. He had returned to UP and offered to resign from the IPS but it was not accepted. On his strained relationship with his family, particularly his wife, following his newfound identity, he said that his wife was initially understanding. But, he claimed, she later changed under the influence of others.