Odisha: Devotees throng Puri on fourth day of annual Rath Yatra
Puri (Odisha) [India], June 30 (ANI): On the fourth day of Rath Yatra, devotees gathered in large numbers to witness and be part of the grand event. The Rath Yatra began on June 27 from Jagannath Temple here. July 5 will mark the conclusion of the event, known as 'Bahuda Yatra'.
A devotee named Anita, who got the opportunity to pull the chariot, shared her excitement and said, 'We have been feeling lucky for the last two days because when we first came here, the Lord gave us darshan on the chariot. There was a huge crowd, but even amidst that, it seemed like he was protecting us.'
'After the stampede yesterday morning, our family members were worried. However, we don't feel any chaos here. Everything is good here and everyone is kind. We are very blessed to see such beautiful scenes,' she further added.
Another devotee, Deepak Rawat, who was attending the Rath Yatra for the first time, said, 'I have come here for the first time and Lord Jagannath has given me a wonderful opportunity to pull the chariot. I want to thank Lord Jagannath so that he can provide such opportunities to everyone and fulfil everyone's wishes.'
Three devotees lost their lives and several others were injured in Sunday's stampede at the world-famous Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath in Puri.
Odisha Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan called the stampede 'very unfortunate' and said that appropriate action will be taken after the completion of investigation.
'The incident is very unfortunate. The state government has taken strict action and a senior officer will investigate the incident. We will take action once we get the report of the investigation,' Harichandan told reporters.
He added, 'Mahaprabhu, with his wish, he gives darshan to his devotees. Tomorrow, the devotees will have the opportunity to offer prayers. I prayed to Mahaprabhu for the well-being of everyone.'
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi expressed deep sorrow over the incident and announced a financial assistance of 25 lakh to the families of each deceased devotee. He also assured that strict action would be taken against those responsible and pledged to prevent such tragedies in the future.
Following the incident, the state government has ordered a high-level administrative inquiry to be supervised by the Development Commissioner. Puri Superintendent of Police Pinak Mishra has been appointed in place of the previous SP, and Puri Collector Siddharth Shankar Swain has been replaced by Chanchal Rana. Odisha DCP Vishnu Pati and Commandant Ajay Padhi were also suspended for negligence of duty. (ANI)
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
India.com
2 hours ago
- India.com
T Raja Singh Resigns As BJP MLA, Cites Leadership Concerns In Telangana Unit
New Delhi: BJP MLA T. Raja Singh has tendered his resignation from primary membership of the Bharatiya Janata Party, citing concerns over the appointment of Ramchander Rao as the new Telangana BJP state president. In a strongly worded letter addressed to Union Minister Kishan Reddy, Singh expressed the discontent of 'lakhs of Karyakartas, leaders, and voters' who he believes are being ignored as the party prepares for its first opportunity to form a government in the state. Singh, elected thrice consecutively from Goshamahal, stated that his decision was motivated not by personal ambition but by the collective pain and frustration of grassroots workers who feel "sidelined and unheard", a sentiment he claims is being driven by individuals with 'personal interests' clouding the central leadership's judgment. 'At a time when BJP stands at the threshold of forming its first government in Telangana, such a choice raises serious doubts about the direction we are heading,' Singh wrote, warning that the party risks 'avoidable setbacks' by overlooking seasoned local leaders. Over media reports of the possibility of party leader Ramchander Rao being appointed as Telangana BJP chief, BJP MLA T. Raja Singh resigns from the party's primary membership, citing shock and disappointment — ANI (@ANI) June 30, 2025 N Ramchander Rao, a seasoned criminal lawyer and veteran leader of the Telangana BJP, is well-known for his long-term commitment to the party. A trusted associate of the late Arun Jaitley, Rao has also held the position of member of the Bar Council of India. According to an India Today report, the party sources said that the BJP leadership reached out to Ramchander Rao on Sunday evening, first with a call from organisation secretary Chandrasekhar to confirm how many years he had been with the party. This was followed by another call asking him to file his nomination for the state president post on Monday. The leadership ensured he was the sole contender. T Raja observed that the Telangana BJP possessed capable senior MLAs and MPs with strong credibility and local connections, yet these were overlooked. Instead, he accused some centralized figures of influencing decisions behind closed doors. In his letter, Singh requested Kishan Reddy to inform the Speaker of the Telangana Legislative Assembly that he was no longer a BJP member. Despite resigning from the party, he reaffirmed his commitment to the ideology of Hindutva and pledged to continue supporting the Hindu community in Goshamahal. 'While I may be stepping away from the party, I remain fully committed to the ideology of Hindutva and the service of our Dharma and the people of Gosharmahal,' he said. Calling it a difficult but necessary decision, he said, 'The silence of many should not be mistaken for agreement. I speak not just for myself, but for countless karyakartas and voters who today feel let down.' Singh also appealed directly to the BJP's national leadership, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, party president J.P. Nadda, Amit Shah, and B.L. Santhosh—urging them to reconsider the appointment for the state leadership. Raja Singh signed off the letter with 'Jai Hind. Jai Shri Ram.' Singh's resignation adds momentum to growing criticism over top-down decisions within party ranks in Telangana. With the BJP aiming to significantly expand its presence in the state legislature, discontent from senior MLAs may impact its electoral calculus. Party officials have not yet issued a public response. It remains to be seen whether Singh's resignation prompts further internal discussion or sparks similar moves among other disillusioned members.
Indian Express
3 hours ago
- Indian Express
Karnataka Govt suspends 3 police inspectors for falsely implicating tribal man in wife's murder
The Karnataka Government Sunday suspended three police officers for falsely implicating a tribal man on the charge of killing his wife in the state's Kodagu district in 2021. Kurubara Suresh, 35, a labourer from a tribal community, was arrested in June 2021 for 'killing' his wife, and spent two years in jail. However, later it was found that his wife was alive, and had been living with her boyfriend. The police officers who have been suspended are B G Prakash, Mahesh Kumar, and Prakash Yathinamani, inspectors in Kushalanagar and Yelawala and Jayapura, respectively. Vishnuvardhana N, Superintendent of Police, Mysuru, confirmed to The Indian Express that the officers had been suspended, and an inquiry was pending. Reacting to the suspension order, B S Pandu Poojari, the lawyer who represents Suresh, said they were not satisfied with the suspension order. 'We want the government to initiate criminal proceedings against those accused officials to give justice to the victim,' he added.\ Suresh filed a missing-person complaint at the Kushalnagar Rural Police Station in Kodagu district after his wife, Mallige, went missing in November 2020. He was arrested by the Bettadapura police in Mysuru district on charges of murdering his wife after a woman's skeleton was discovered, leading to his two-year-long incarceration. He was released on bail in September 2024. On April 1 this year, Suresh's friends found out that his wife was alive, and had been with her boyfriend 30 km away from their village. They immediately informed the police. Later, the Mysuru district court directed the police to submit a report. Mallige appeared before the judge, and stated that his wife was alive. The court then ordered the police to drop the charges against Suresh, and remove his name as accused or suspect from the chargesheet. Recently, he also approached the Karnataka High Court seeking Rs 5 crore in compensation after spending nearly 18 months in jail following his wrongful arrest. The police are yet to ascertain the identity of the body, which they discovered in an area under the Bettadapura police limits.
Hindustan Times
3 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
‘Bada besharam hai samaajh': Javed Akhtar on public outrage over murders committed by Sonam Raghuvanshi, Muskan Rastogi
Jun 30, 2025 05:11 PM IST In the last few weeks, two cases of murder have caused immense public outrage in India. In both the cases of Muskan Rastogi and Sonam Raghuvanshi, the common factor was the murder of their husbands. In an open session with NDTV, lyricist and screenwriter Javed Akhtar gave his opinion on the outrage on these cases in particular, admitting that he has a 'mixed emotions' on this. Screenwriter and lyricist Javed Akhtar has talked about the public outrage over cases linked to Sonam Raghuvanshi and Muskan Rastogi. (ANI Photo)(Sunil Khandare) During the interview, when Javed was asked to comment on these two cases and the commotion it has caused, he said in Hindi, 'I have mixed emotions on this matter. These two women got there husbands killed and the society is shaken. Then there are women who are burnt alive every other day. If not burnt alive, then the lives that they live with their husbands are worse than any death. They are beaten every day. Then the society is not outraged?' 'Do auroton ne murder kiye…' He went on to add, 'Bada besharam hai samaajh. Do auroton ne murder kiye toh chauk para aur itne barso se jo mard uspe zaarti kar rahe hain aur aaj bhi kat rahe hain uspe uski joo nahi rengti (What a shameless society! Two women were murdered, so they are shaken, but what about the years of injustice that men commit against women? No outrage on that)? If they did kill so soon after their marriage then find out whether they were forced into marriage or not. It is easy for a woman from a small town in India to say no to marriage? Can she say that?' On June 2, Raja Raghuvanshi's body was found in a deep gorge close to a waterfall in the Sohra area, also known as Cherrapunji, within the East Khasi Hills district. Sonam Raghuvanshi surrendered a few days later. According to police, Sonam conspired with her boyfriend Raj Kushwaha to hire three other men to kill her husband Raja during their honeymoon, nearly two weeks after their wedding. Meanwhile, Muskan Rastogi, along with her lover Sahil Shukla, had allegedly stabbed her husband Saurabh Rajput to death on March 4 before chopping his body up into multiple pieces and hiding them inside a cement-filled drum.
