Security up at 3 places in Ganjam after man crushed under chariot wheels
1
2
Berhampur: A day after a 32-year-old man was allegedly crushed to death under the wheels of a chariot at Sikula in Ganjam district, security has been tightened in places where Rath Yatra was held on Saturday.
Chariots are pulled by devotees in Digapahandi, Dharakote and Surangi, a day after Puri. Hundreds of people from nearby villages pulled the chariot in Digapahandi and Dharakote, while several people from neighbouring Andhra Pradesh and tribals thronged Surangi in Patrapur block to participate in the festival.
Siba Behera of Sikula died after the chariot allegedly ran over him on Friday. He was rushed to MKCG Medical College and Hospital where he succumbed to his injuries late evening, police said.
"We are investigating the incident," said Deepak Mishra, sub-divisional police officer (SDPO), Purushottampur.
"Following the accident, we have asked police officers to keep strict vigil on chariot pulling in their areas," said SP (Berhampur) Saravana Vivek M. He said adequate forces were also deployed in Surangi and Digapahandi to ensure incident-free Rath Yatra.
"Ever since the Jagannath Temple was built in Surangi, located near the Andhra Pradesh border, by the then king in the 18th century, the pulling of chariot was done a day after Puri Rath Yatra," said Anchal Pradhan, an elderly resident.
Similar tradition continues in Dharakote and Digapahandi. "Bahuda Yatra will also be observed in these places a day after the traditional return car festival. It's our tradition since the temple was established," said Kuresh Patra, an advocate in Digapahandi.
According to legends, everyone went to participate in the Rath Yatra in nearby places, including Jarada and Chikiti, leaving behind hardly any devotee to pull chariots in Digapahandi, Dharakote and Surangi. This propmpted the kings to postpone the pulling of chariots for a day.
Rath Yatra was celebrated in Jarada on Friday, where Lord Jagannath is worshipped as Lord Parthasarathi.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
Notices barring Brahmins from performing rituals spark row
Motihari: A recent incident in Uttar Pradesh's Etawah district, where a religious preacher and his associate were allegedly assaulted, has had ripple effects in Tikulya, a village in Bihar's East Champaran district. In response to the Etawah episode, some youths in Tikulya, located near the India-Nepal border under Adapur police station, put up warning boards at the village's entry points on Monday, barring Brahmins from performing religious rituals. The notices have since been removed by the villagers. The incident in Etawah, which took place on Saturday, involved the alleged humiliation and assault of a 'kathavachak' (religious storyteller) and his associate, both from the Yadav community, by some people. Their heads were allegedly shaved as part of the attack. In Tikulya village, which is predominantly inhabited by members of the Yadav community, notices appeared at all entry points. "Is gaon me Brahmano puja karana sakht mana hai, pakde jane pr dand ke bhagi honge (It is strictly forbidden for Brahmins to perform puja in this village; if caught, they would be punished)", the notices read. These warnings quickly spread to nearby areas. Some locals clarified that their objection was directed at people who, despite identifying as Brahmins, lacked knowledge of the Vedas and Puranas and were known to consume liquor and meat. They said they held no objection to Brahmins who were well-versed in scriptures. Ram Prit Yadav, a 72-year-old former MLA and Congress leader from Tikulya, said he was unaware of the incident as he was on way to Deoghar. He condemned the act and expressed confidence that peace would prevail among villagers of all castes. "My village is Yadav-dominated with a single Brahmin family, but they are respected and loved by everyone here. This act seems to have been carried out by some anti-social elements," he said. While the mukhiya of the Bakhari panchayat is currently in jail, the panchayat's sarpanch, Lakshmi Yadav, said he was unaware of the incident or any threats issued by villagers. "I will ensure action is taken against those responsible," he said. Village police chowkidar, Sanjay Yadav, said a few people were responsible for putting up the notices and did so in the name of the village. "The villagers did not support them and all the warning boards have now been removed," he added. Dhirendra Kumar, sub-divisional police officer (SDPO) of Raxaul, said the matter was under investigation. "An FIR will be lodged against those found guilty of this mischief," he said.
Deccan Herald
2 hours ago
- Deccan Herald
Centre must set crowd management protocols: Surjewala
The 'Puri Rath Yatra' stampede and the tragic death of devotees is deeply saddening and regrettable. In Puri Stampede, unpardonable glaring failures of BJP's Orissa Govt stand out : (I) Entry Gate and Exit Gate were on the same route and Orissa Police had shut the Exit Gate.…
Time of India
3 hours ago
- Time of India
Puri Stampede: How two trucks led to a deadly situation during Rath Yatra
Three devotees lost their lives early Sunday morning in a stampede outside the Gundicha Temple in Puri, Odisha. The incident happened between 4:00 a.m. and 4:30 a.m., when thousands had gathered to get a glimpse of the deities stationed in front of the temple, a day after the Rath Yatra . Stampede occurred after rituals concluded smoothly According to officials quoted by TOI, the main Rath Yatra rituals on Friday and Saturday were conducted without any issues, despite a brief delay due to a crowd surge on the first day. Over 12 lakh devotees attended the celebrations over two days. However, Sunday morning's stampede occurred during a much smaller gathering of about 5,000–6,000 people. Eyewitnesses say vehicles caused panic Parikhita Mishra, an eyewitness from Dhenkanal, said that vehicles moving through the crowd triggered the chaos. 'Two trucks carrying wooden ladders for the chariots were permitted to move through the crowd, further narrowing the space and triggering panic. There were no police officers to regulate their movement,' Mishra said. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Descubra ofertas de voos imperdíveis Voos | Anúncios de Pesquisa Saiba Mais Undo Senior temple servitor calls it 'a first in history' Binayak Dasmohapatra, a senior servitor of the Jagannath Temple , said, 'The location in front of Gundicha Temple can accommodate a maximum of 5,000–6,000 devotees. Stampedes can occur when chariots are moving. However, tragedy struck before stationary chariots, a first in history.' Police accused of fleeing the spot Survivors and witnesses said that police failed to manage the crowd and fled the scene. Dilip Sahu, whose wife Prabhati Sahu from Khurda district died in the stampede, said, 'I watched in horror as police officers fled to protect themselves. My wife was unconscious, and I had to carry her to the hospital with help from other devotees. Police authorities who should have protected us were nowhere to be found.' Live Events Witnesses say no official help came on time Abhijit Das, husband of deceased devotee Prabhati Das from Bhubaneswar's Nayapalli area, said, 'There were hardly any police personnel visible despite the massive crowd. When people started falling and screaming, there was no organised response. We were completely on our own.' Slippery ground worsened situation Another survivor, Prasanjit Makahud, described dangerous conditions underfoot. 'Some wooden logs were kept on the ground in front of the chariots. Many devotees stood on them to get a better view of the deities. The logs were slippery due to rain. Some slipped and fell, causing a domino effect,' he said. Locals question police planning Santosh Das, a Puri resident and regular temple-goer, criticised the authorities for repeated lapses. 'Every year, we see huge crowds during festivals, yet the police authorities never learn. There were a handful of policemen for thousands of devotees. How can they possibly maintain order?' he asked. Officials suspended, compensation announced After the incident, Puri Deputy Commissioner of Police Bishnu Charan Pati and Police Commandant Ajay Padhi were suspended. The District Collector and Superintendent of Police were also transferred. The Odisha government has launched an investigation and announced ₹25 lakh as compensation for the families of each deceased victim.
