Tragedy Mars Rath Yatra in Puri: Three Devotees Dead, Over 50 Injured in Stampede

 Puri, Odisha – June 29:A tragic stampede during the annual Rath Yatra near the Shri Gundicha Temple in Odisha’s Puri claimed the lives of at least three devotees and left over 50 injured in the early hours of Sunday.

The incident occurred around 4–5 AM when the chariot of Lord Jagannath, Nandighosh, reached the Gundicha Temple. According to Puri District Collector Siddharth S. Swain, a massive surge of devotees led to the collapse of crowd-control barriers, causing many to fall perilously close to the wheels of the chariot.

Emergency services rushed the injured to nearby hospitals, where six individuals remain in critical condition.

The deceased have been identified as Basanti Sahu of Bolagarh in Khorda district, Premakanti Mohanty, and Prabhati Das from Athantara village under Balianta block. Authorities have sent the bodies for postmortem examination, and an investigation is currently underway. Local reports have pointed to inadequate police arrangements for crowd control at the site.

Odisha Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan expressed his condolences and announced a high-level inquiry. “The loss of three lives is deeply distressing. A thorough investigation will be conducted, and accountability will be ensured,” he said.

The incident has reignited concerns over safety and crowd management during major religious events. According to the district administration, more than 10 lakh devotees attended the two-day celebrations. On Friday alone, over 625 people reportedly fell ill due to overcrowding near the chariot of Devi Subhadra.

Despite a slight dip in crowd numbers on Saturday, over 650 people experienced health complications, with at least 70 requiring hospitalization. Nine remain in critical condition.

In a separate but equally tragic incident, three young women en route to Puri for the Rath Yatra celebrations died on Saturday after being run over by a government bus. The accident occurred near Pipili when their two-wheeler was struck by a motorcycle, throwing them onto the road where they were fatally hit by the bus. Two women died on the spot, while the third succumbed to her injuries en route to the hospital.

Meanwhile, the chariots of Lord Balabhadra, Devi Subhadra, and Lord Jagannath successfully reached the Gundicha Temple on Saturday. As per tradition, the deities will reside there for nine days before returning to the Jagannath Temple in a procession known as ‘Bahuda Yatra’, scheduled for July 5.

The Rath Yatra commenced on Friday with great spiritual fervour. Amid chants of "Jai Jagannath" and "Hari Bol", and the rhythmic sounds of cymbals, conch shells, and trumpets, the ‘Taladwaja’ chariot of Lord Balabhadra began its journey at 4:08 PM. It was followed by Devi Subhadra’s ‘Darpadalan’ and Lord Jagannath’s majestic ‘Nandighosh’. The ceremonial ‘Chhera Pahanra’ — the ritual sweeping of the chariots — was performed by Puri’s titular king, Gajapati Maharaja Divyasingha Deb, ahead of the procession.

The city of Puri remains under tight security, with over 10,000 police personnel deployed and advanced surveillance measures including AI-enabled cameras and drone monitoring in place to manage the estimated 15 lakh devotees.

Despite the vibrant display of devotion and faith, the somber toll from Sunday’s incidents casts a shadow over this year’s festivities — once again highlighting the critical need for robust planning and safety mechanisms during mass religious gatherings.