Stampede During Rath Yatra in Puri: 3 Dead, 10 Injured; Crowd Control Under Scrutiny
Stampede During Rath Yatra in Puri: 3 Dead, 10 Injured; Crowd Control Under Scrutiny
A tragic stampede during the Jagannath Rath Yatra in Odisha’s Puri early Sunday morning claimed the lives of three devotees and left ten others injured. The incident took place near the Shree Gundicha Temple, around three kilometers from the Jagannath Temple, where the annual chariot procession began.
The stampede occurred around 4:30 am when a massive crowd had gathered for darshan as the three sacred chariots — carrying the idols of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Goddess Subhadra — reached the Gundicha Temple. Amid the growing rush, a few people reportedly fell, triggering panic and a deadly stampede.
The deceased have been identified as 70-year-old Premakant Mohanty, and two women, Prabhati Das and Basanti Sahu all hailing from Khurda district. The injured were rushed to nearby hospitals, and reports indicate that some remain in critical condition.
Concerns have been raised about inadequate crowd control measures. Local media and eyewitnesses noted that the police arrangements at the site were insufficient to handle the massive turnout of devotees.
Puri Collector Siddharth Shankar Swain, addressing the media, stated:
“As soon as the Pahuda was opened, there was a sudden surge in the crowd. Nine devotees complained of breathlessness and were immediately shifted to the hospital. While three of them died, the others are stable now. The autopsy of the deceased is being conducted, and the exact cause of death will be known once the post-mortem reports are out.”
The Rath Yatra, one of the most significant Hindu festivals, sees lakhs of devotees pulling the grand chariots to the Gundicha Temple, where the deities stay for a week before returning to the Jagannath Temple.
Amid the tragedy, a political row has erupted. Former Chief Minister and BJD chief Naveen Patnaik criticized the conduct of the event, calling it a “terrible mess.” “All we can do is pray. May Mahaprabhu Jagannath forgive all those responsible for this chaos,” he said.
