'Shameless Crowd': Viral Video Shows Pilgrims Looting Vendor’s Khaja Sweets After Officials Remove Him For Unauthorised Vending In Odisha’s Puri

· Free Press Journal

‘Shameless Crowd’: Viral Video Shows People Looting Poor Vendor’s Khaja Sweets In Puri

A shocking video from Odisha’s temple town of Puri has gone viral on social media, showing a crowd allegedly looting sweets from a poor street vendor’s cart after an enforcement drive in the area.

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The clip, shared by Times of India journalist Debabrata Mohapatra, shows chaotic scenes of people grabbing handfuls of khaja a popular traditional Odia sweet from the vendor’s exposed stall while laughing, eating and stuffing the items into plastic bags.

The incident reportedly took place near the busy temple area in Puri, where authorities often conduct anti-encroachment drives to clear crowded footpaths and unauthorized hawkers.

Viral Video Shows Chaotic Looting

The now viral video shows a large crowd swarming around the vendor’s sweets after the cart was allegedly left unattended during the enforcement action.

Men, women and even children were seen aggressively collecting the sweets from trays and containers placed on the ground.

Some people were spotted eating the sweets on the spot, while others filled bags and containers with as much as they could carry. One person was even seen scraping leftover broken pieces and syrup from a large metal bowl lying on the road.

Despite the chaotic situation, several people in the crowd appeared to be smiling and laughing, triggering widespread outrage online.

‘Looting A Poor Vendor’s Sweat And Sweet’

Sharing the clip on social media, journalist Debabrata Mohapatra criticised the behaviour of the crowd and described the incident as “looting a poor street vendor’s sweat/sweet.”

The video quickly drew angry reactions from users, many of whom questioned the lack of civic sense and empathy displayed by the crowd, especially in a holy city known for devotion and spirituality.

Several social media users expressed disappointment that such behaviour occurred near the Jagannath Temple area, which attracts lakhs of devotees every year.

Anti-Encroachment Drives In Puri

Authorities in Puri routinely carry out enforcement drives to remove unauthorized street vendors and clear congested pathways around the temple and market areas.

However, the viral video has shifted attention away from the enforcement action itself and towards the conduct of bystanders who allegedly took advantage of the situation to loot the vendor’s goods.

The incident has once again sparked debate over public behaviour during civic enforcement operations and the vulnerability of informal workers and street vendors during such drives.

Social Media Reacts With Outrage

As the clip circulated widely online, many users condemned the crowd’s actions as insensitive and humiliating for a poor vendor trying to earn a livelihood.

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Others pointed out that the scenes reflected a broader issue often witnessed during anti-hawker operations, where displaced vendors are left exposed to opportunistic theft and mob behaviour.

The video continues to attract strong reactions online, with many calling the incident deeply shameful and disturbing.

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