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NDTV
3 days ago
- Politics
- NDTV
Puri Stampede: Odisha Chief Minister Orders Administrative Overhaul
Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Sunday ordered a major administrative shake-up following the stampede near Shree Gundicha Temple in Puri which claimed three lives and left around 50 people injured. With several crucial Rath Yatra events approaching, the CM has reassigned experienced IAS and IPS officers to ensure tighter coordination and public safety. In a decisive move, ADG (Police Modernisation) SK Priyadarshi has been placed in overall charge of police arrangements for the Rath Yatra and related rituals in addition to his existing responsibilities, an official said. Further strengthening the top administrative structure, senior bureaucrat Saswata Mishra has been appointed as Principal Secretary to the CM, a post lying vacant since Nikunja Dhal proceeded on central deputation. Mishra will also continue as Principal Secretary, Finance Department, and Chairman, IDCO. The CM has also engaged former Puri Collector Arvind Agarwal as the overall in-charge of the Rath Yatra. The administrative action came swiftly after the stampede sparked nationwide outrage. Within hours, Puri Collector Siddharth Sekhar Swain and Puri SP Vinit Agarwal were removed from their posts. Additionally, DCP Vishnu Pati and Commandant Ajay Padhi have been suspended from service. DIG STF Pinak Mishra has been appointed as the new Puri SP. Despite his promotion to DIG rank, Mishra has been directed to function as SP during the Yatra, citing the critical nature of the role. Sources confirmed he assumed charge within hours of the transfer order. To ensure full transparency, Majhi has ordered an administrative inquiry into the incident, to be conducted by Development Commissioner Anu Garg, a senior officer known for her firm administrative approach. The inquiry will aim to determine lapses and recommend corrective measures. Some of the most significant upcoming events are Sandhya Darshan (evening darshan) on July 4, Bahuda Jatra (return car festival) on July 5, Suna Besa (golden attire of deities on chariots) on July 6 and Niladeri Bije (deities return to main temple) on July 8. These events attract lakhs of devotees, with the Suna Besa expected to draw maximum people. "The congregation may exceed 15 lakh people this year for the Suna Besa," a temple official said.
Hindustan Times
4 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Odisha CM orders administrative overhaul after Puri stampede; key officers reassigned
Bhubaneswar, Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Sunday ordered a major administrative shake-up following the stampede near Shree Gundicha Temple in Puri which claimed three lives and left around 50 people injured. Odisha CM orders administrative overhaul after Puri stampede; key officers reassigned With several crucial Rath Yatra events approaching, the CM has reassigned experienced IAS and IPS officers to ensure tighter coordination and public safety. In a decisive move, ADG SK Priyadarshi has been placed in overall charge of police arrangements for the Rath Yatra and related rituals in addition to his existing responsibilities, an official said. Further strengthening the top administrative structure, senior bureaucrat Saswata Mishra has been appointed as Principal Secretary to the CM, a post lying vacant since Nikunja Dhal proceeded on central deputation. Mishra will also continue as Principal Secretary, Finance Department, and Chairman, IDCO. The CM has also engaged former Puri Collector Arvind Agarwal as the overall in-charge of the Rath Yatra. The administrative action came swiftly after the stampede sparked nationwide outrage. Within hours, Puri Collector Siddharth Sekhar Swain and Puri SP Vinit Agarwal were removed from their posts. Additionally, DCP Vishnu Pati and Commandant Ajay Padhi have been suspended from service. DIG STF Pinak Mishra has been appointed as the new Puri SP. Despite his promotion to DIG rank, Mishra has been directed to function as SP during the Yatra, citing the critical nature of the role. Sources confirmed he assumed charge within hours of the transfer order. To ensure full transparency, Majhi has ordered an administrative inquiry into the incident, to be conducted by Development Commissioner Anu Garg, a senior officer known for her firm administrative approach. The inquiry will aim to determine lapses and recommend corrective measures. Some of the most significant upcoming events are Sandhya Darshan on July 4, Bahuda Jatra on July 5, Suna Besa on July 6 and Niladeri Bije on July 8. These events attract lakhs of devotees, with the Suna Besa expected to draw maximum people. "The congregation may exceed 15 lakh people this year for the Suna Besa," a temple official said. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
Hindustan Times
15-06-2025
- General
- Hindustan Times
Odisha: Puri Jagannath Rath Yatra to start from Jun 27, preps in full swing
Preparations are underway in full swing for the Jagannath Rath Yatra, scheduled to begin on June 27, with the Return Car Festival, or 'Bahuda Jatra', set to take place on July 5. The construction work for three gigantic chariots of the Holy Trinity - Lord Balabhadra, Lord Jagannath and Goddess Subhadra - for the annual car festival in Puri is underway at the Puri Jagannath Temple. During the festival, three deities - Jagannath, his brother Balabhadra and sister Subhadra - are drawn by devotees in three massive wooden chariots to Gundicha Temple, where they reside for a week and then return to the Jagannath temple. "The last phase of work is being done. The decoration of the Ratha is being done. Our hardwork will suceed when Mahaprabhu will be Seated in it. We do this work every year; it is a proud moment for us," a worker working on the chariot said. Earlier on Friday, a multi-agency mock drill was conducted at Dharamshala in front of Shri Jagannath Temple in Puri to assess preparedness and coordination for any emergency. Puri Superintendent of Police (SP) Vineet Agarwal said that a multi-agency mock drill was conducted near the Shri Jagannath Temple to evaluate the readiness and coordination of security forces in handling emergencies. He further added that 11 agencies participated in the anti-terror intervention exercise. Earlier Agarwal said, "...It was an intervention exercise to assess the preparedness of our teams for anti-terrorist intervention." It was a multi-agency mock drill to ensure coordination among the various agencies. 11 agencies participated in this event..." On Wednesday, the sacred bathing ritual of Lord Jagannath along with his siblings - Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadhra - was held on the occasion of Snana Purnima in Puri. The three deities were ceremonially bathed with 108 pitchers of sacred water. This ritual marks a significant lead-up to the grand Rath Yatra. The Ratha Yatra, also known as the Chariot Celebration of Lord Jagannath, Devi Subhadra, and Lord Balabhadra, is one of the most prominent Hindu festival in the Puri city of Odisha. This festival takes place every year on the second day of the Shukla Paksha in the months of June or July. The three chariots are built anew every year ahead of the annual chariot festival. Vibrant colours, enthusiastic faces, crowded shops, and cheery craftspeople are just a few of the highlights of Rath Yatra in Puri, the popular Chariot celebration held on a big scale every year outside Jagannatha Temple.
Time of India
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Jagannath Rath Yatra: 4 commandants, 450 officers 70 Platoons Force deployed to ensure safety in Odisha's Puri
Live Events (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel Preparations are in full swing ahead of Jagannath Rath Yatra 2025 , which commences on June 27, and the Return Car Festival or 'Bahuda Jatra' falls on July 5. IGP informed that four commandants, 450 officers and 70 Platoons of the Force are set to ensure safety during the to the reporters, IGP (Central Range) S Praveen Kumar said, "Appropriate security arrangements have been made for the Jagannath Rath Yatra. Four commandants, 450 officers, and 70 Platoons of the Force have been arranged. We are using artificial intelligence this time, and CCTVs have been installed."On traffic arrangements, IGP said, "Traffic arrangements are also included in this. Two senior officers will handle traffic inside and outside, which will be divided into zones and sectors. We will also issue a traffic advisory. For drones, we will issue an advisory for no-fly zones."IGP Praveen Kumar welcomed the YouTubers coming to the Yatra and said they should promote the Jagannath the festival, three deities - Jagannath, his brother Balabhadra and sister Subhadra are drawn by devotees in three massive wooden chariots to Gundicha Temple, where they reside for a week and then return to the Jagannath month, a four-member National Security Guard (NSG) commando team visited the Shri Jagannath Temple in Puri to conduct a routine security to the media, Superintendent of Police (SP), Puri, Vinit Agrawal said, "A four-member team of NSG commandos has come here to review the security around Shri Jagannath temple as part of a routine process which is part of their annual calendar."The elite NSG team's visit is aimed at assessing existing security measures at the temple, one of the most revered and heavily visited pilgrimage sites in India. Officials said the review included inspection of entry and exit points, crowd management protocols, emergency response mechanisms, and coordination among local police and temple security Shri Jagannath Temple, which draws lakhs of devotees yearly, especially during the annual Rath Yatra, remains a high-security zone, with multiple layers of protection and surveillance.
