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3 killed, 50 injured in stampede during Jagannath Rath Yatra in Puri
According to a report by OTV, the incident happened at Saradhabali near Gundicha Temple where the three chariots of Lord Balabhadra, Goddess Subhadra and Lord Jagannath are stationed.
Around 4 am today, a large crowd had reportedly gathered near the Gundicha temple for darshan. This led to a commotion, killing three people on the spot. The report also said that two trucks carrying charmala (ceremonial garlands) entered the area, causing panic among the large number of devotees present. The deceased have been identified as Prabhati Das, Basanti Sahu, and Premakanta Mohanty. The bodies have been sent for postmortem and an investigation is underway. According to Puri District Collector Siddharth S Swain, the injured have been admitted to a nearby hospital. The situation of at least six injured people is critical, he told news agency PTI.
Speaking to ANI, Odisha Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan said, "It is an unfortunate incident. We are taking note of that. I spoke with the CM this morning. We are taking stringent action."
"We are trying our best to manage the crowd. Additional police have been deployed. The reasons for the incident are being investigated. The situation is now under control and the people are having darshan," he added.
Eyewitness speaks
"I was there near the temple till 2-3 am last night, but the management was not good. A new way was made for VIPs, and common people were asked to exit from a distance. People started exiting from the entrance itself, which increased the crowd. The traffic system was also not good, as many vehicles with unauthorised passes came near the temple. The administration did not control the crowd properly. The biggest problem was the exit gate," an eyewitness told news agency ANI.
Rath Yatra hit by overcrowding, heat
The ongoing Rath Yatra has faced persistent issues with overcrowding and extreme weather conditions. On Friday, June 27, nearly 625 people fell ill and many had to be admitted to hospitals due to sweltering heat and overcrowding.
According to PTI, many devotees were also injured near Balagandi area where Lord Balabhadra's Taladwaja chariot remained stuck for over an hour on Friday.
"The prolonged halt led to a dense buildup of crowd, resulting in several people getting trapped and sustained injuries while trying to get out of the congested area," PTI quoted an official as saying.
The three chariots were scheduled to reach Gundicha temple by the evening of Friday. But they had to be stopped on Grand Road as Lord Balabhadra's Taladwaja chariot got stuck while taking a turn, preventing the other two from advancing.
The chariots with deities inside were kept on the road overnight amid tight security.
Former CM criticises 'terrible mess'
Former chief minister Naveen Patnaik calling the delay a "terrible mess", saying it was impossible not to voice concern over how events unfolded.
In a social media post, the former chief minister said, "All we can do is pray. May Mahaprabhu Jagannath forgive all those responsible for the terrible mess that has overshadowed this divine festival this year." (With inputs from agencies)
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