3 Dead, 10 Injured In Stampede During Jagannath Rath Yatra In Odisha's Puri

Three persons, two of them women, died and 10 others were injured in a stampede during the Rath Yatra in Odisha's Puri. The incident occurred when the three Raths carrying idols of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Goddess Shubhadra were near Shree Gundicha Temple, about three kilometres from Jagannath temple, where the Yatra began.

Around 4.30 am today, the holy chariots were at the Gundicha temple and a large crowd had gathered for a darshan. As the crowd swelled, some people fell and a stampede began. Three people died on the spot. These include two women, Prabhati Das and Basanti Sahu, and 70-year-old Premakant Mohanty. All three, it is learnt, are from Khurda district and had come to Puri for the Rath Yatra.

Local media reported that the police's arrangement for crowd control at the spot was inadequate. The condition of some of those injured is critical, according to reports.

Puri Collector Siddharth Shankar Swain said the bodies of the victims had been sent for autopsy and the examination would reveal the exact cause of death. He said adequate security arrangements were in place, but the crowd suddenly went out of control, leading to the tragedy.

Hours after the incident, both the Collector and Puri police chief Vinit Agrawal were replaced. The state government has announced a compensation of Rs 25 lakh for the families of the victims. Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Manjhi has taken responsibility for the stampede and termed it a result of "unforgivable negligence". He has told authorities to take exemplary action against those responsible.

During Rath Yatra, three grand chariots with the idols of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Goddess Shubhadra are drawn by a massive crowd of devotees. The holy chariots are taken to the Gundicha Temple. The three deities spend a week there before returning to the Jagannath Temple.

Expressing his condolences, former Chief Minister and BJD chief Naveen Patnaik said the stampede exposes the state government's "glaring incompetence in ensuring a peaceful festival".

"I extend my heartfelt condolences to the families of the three devotees who have lost their lives in the tragic stampede at Saradhabali, #Puri and I pray to Mahaprabhu Jagannatha for the swift recovery of the devotees injured in this devastating incident.

"Today's stampede, occurring just a day after the abysmal failure of crowd management during the #RathYatra that left hundreds injured, exposes the government's glaring incompetence in ensuring a peaceful festival for devotees. Eyewitnesses report that the initial response to this horrific tragedy came from the devotees' relatives, with no government machinery present to manage the surging crowds, highlighting a shocking lapse in duty," he said.

"The inordinate delay in pulling the Nandighosha chariot on Rath Yatra day was conveniently attributed to 'Mahaprabhu's wish', a shocking excuse that masks the administration's complete abdication of responsibility. While I refrain from accusing the government of criminal negligence, their blatant callousness has undeniably contributed to this tragedy. I urge the government to implement urgent corrective measures to ensure the smooth conduct of Adapa Bije, Bahuda, Suna Besha, and other key RathYatra rituals," said Mr Patnaik, now the Leader of the Opposition in Assembly.

Dharmendra Pradhan, Union Minister and BJP's key leader in Odisha, said he has spoken to Chief Minister Mohan Charan Manjhi about the stampede. "He has taken responsibility for the incident. He has assured to take the required actions in this matter," he said.

With Inputs From Dev Kumar Ghosh