Latest news with #PrithivirajHarichandan
New Indian Express
a day ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
BJD seeks Law minister's resignation over Rath Yatra mismanagement
BHUBANESWAR: The BJD on Wednesday demanded the resignation of Law minister Prithiviraj Harichandan in connection with the alleged mismanagement during Rath Yatra which resulted in the death of three devotees in a stampede near Gundicha temple. Stating that there was widespread chaos and mismanagement, party spokesperson Lenin Mohanty said the state government completely failed to manage the situation. 'The congregation of more crowd cannot be an excuse for such type of unfortunate incident. The government should have been prepared to manage the crowd,' he added. Mohanty further criticised the Law minister, who is in charge of the Rath Yatra, for shifting the blame and making contradictory statements instead of taking responsibility for the failure. Accusing Harichandan of being arrogant and insensitive to the concerns of the devotees, Das demanded that the former either resign from his position or be removed from the cabinet by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi for his failure to manage the chariot festival. The BJD spokesperson also reiterated the demand for arrest of BJD leader Jagannath Pradhan, who he alleged was the main conspirator behind the assault of BMC additional commissioner Ratnakar Sahoo. Stating that the incident has brought shame and embarrassment to the state, Mohanty alleged that the government was shielding Pradhan due to his affiliation with the BJP.
Hans India
4 days ago
- Politics
- Hans India
Odisha Government Orders Investigation After Fatal Puri Rath Yatra Stampede
Odisha's Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan has condemned the tragic stampede that claimed three lives during the renowned Puri Rath Yatra celebration, calling the incident "deeply unfortunate" and promising decisive action following a comprehensive investigation. The deadly crowd surge occurred during the world-famous Rath Yatra festival of Lord Jagannath in Puri, resulting in multiple casualties and injuries among devotees who had gathered for the sacred celebration. The incident has prompted immediate administrative changes and a thorough review of safety protocols. Speaking to media representatives, Minister Harichandan assured that the state administration would conduct a rigorous inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the tragedy. He emphasized that appropriate measures would be implemented once investigative findings are complete, while expressing prayers for the welfare of all devotees affected by the incident. The Odisha government has initiated swift administrative action in response to the crisis. A senior-level administrative investigation has been commissioned under the supervision of the Development Commissioner. Additionally, significant personnel changes have been implemented, including the replacement of Puri Superintendent of Police Pinak Mishra and Puri Collector Siddharth Shankar Swain with Chanchal Rana. Two officials, DCP Vishnu Pati and Commandant Ajay Padhi, have been suspended for dereliction of duty. Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has announced substantial financial support for affected families, providing ₹25 lakh compensation to each family that lost a member in the stampede. The Chief Minister expressed profound grief over the tragedy and pledged that stringent action would be taken against responsible parties while implementing measures to prevent future incidents. Emphasizing Odisha's cultural heritage, the Chief Minister described the Rath Yatra as a source of regional pride and committed to maintaining both the safety and sanctity of this significant religious festival. Despite the tragic circumstances, temple authorities confirmed that ceremonial rituals proceeded smoothly throughout the event. Arabinda K Padhee, Chief Administrator of the Shree Jagannatha Temple Office, reported that the festival's traditional elements, including the chariots' journey to Shree Gundicha Temple, were completed according to established customs. He acknowledged devotees' cooperation and requested continued support for upcoming ceremonies, particularly the important Sandhya Darshan ritual scheduled for July 4. State Director General of Police YB Khurania noted that the Pahandi Bije ceremony concluded peacefully, with millions of devotees across the nation witnessing the sacred proceedings without additional disturbances. The annual Rath Yatra attracts hundreds of thousands of pilgrims from throughout India, making crowd management a critical challenge for authorities. This recent tragedy has intensified focus on safety protocols and crowd control measures, with officials committed to implementing enhanced security arrangements for future religious gatherings to prevent similar incidents.
Hindustan Times
5 days ago
- Hindustan Times
Probe into Puri Rath Yatra stampede will be completed within 30 days: Odisha law minister
Odisha's law minister Prithiviraj Harichandan announced on Sunday that the administrative probe into the Puri stampede, which resulted in three deaths and left 50 people injured, will be concluded within 30 days. Odisha Chief Minister expressed condolences over the incident and said that it happened because of the 'jostling and chaos.'(AP) The stampede occurred on early Sunday morning at 1 am when several devotees were waiting near the Gundicha Temple for the unveiling of the three deities on the chariots amid the ongoing Rath Yatra festivities in the region. Those killed have been identified as Basanti Sahu (36) from Bolagarh, Premakant Mohanty, and Pravati Das from Balipatna in Bhubaneswar. 'The state government will take stern action against those responsible for the tragic incident,' PTI quoted the law minister as saying. He said that Development Commissioner Anu Garg will submit her inquiry report to the chief minister within 30 days. Also read: Jagannath Yatra stampede: 2 top officials transferred; Odisha CM apologises after 3 killed | Key updates According to Puri's Chief District Medical Officer (CDMO) Kishore Satapathy, all the people who got injured during the stampede were discharged from a government health facility by 8 pm, PTI reported. 'All the injured have been discharged from a hospital after asserting their health condition. All are now stable,' he said. What Odisha's chief minister said Odisha chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi took stern action after the stampede and suspended Puri DCP Bishnu Charan Pati and Police Commandant Ajay Padhi on Sunday. He also expressed his condolences over the incident and said that it happened because of the 'jostling and chaos.' Also read: 'No one responded,' says victim's husband after Jagannath Rath Yatra stampede kills 3 In a post on X, Majhi wrote, "Due to the intense eagerness among devotees to have a glimpse of Mahaprabhu at Sharadhabali, an unfortunate incident occurred because of the resulting jostling and chaos. Personally, my government and I seek forgiveness from all Jagannath devotees. We express our condolences to the families of those devotees whose lives were lost at Sharadhabali and pray to Mahaprabhu Jagannath to grant them the strength to bear this profound sorrow.' According to eyewitnesses, the stampede broke out after two trucks loaded with Charamala wood (considered sacred) entered the Saradhabali area near the Gundicha Temple at 4 am, about 3 km from the main Jagannath Temple, where over 1,500 devotees were seated, waiting for the deities in the chariots to be unveiled to the public. The unexpected arrival of the trucks caused chaos.
The Hindu
5 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Inquiry into Puri Rath Yatra stampede to be completed in 30 days: Odisha Minister
Odisha's Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan on Sunday (June 29, 2025) said that an administrative inquiry into the Puri stampede incident that left three people dead and 50 others injured would be completed within 30 days. The stampede took place near Shree Gundicha Temple in Puri early on Sunday (June 29) during a ceremony related to the ongoing Rath Yatra festivities. Also Read | Over 600 people fall ill during Puri Rath Yatra, many admitted to hospitals Mr. Harichandan said that Development Commissioner Anu Garg will submit her inquiry report to the Chief Minister within the stipulated 30 days. 'The State government will take stern action against those responsible for the tragic incident,' the Law Minister said. Chief District Medical Officer (CDMO), Puri, Kishore Satapathy, told PTI that all the injured people have been discharged from a government health facility by 8 p.m.. 'All the injured have been discharged from a hospital after asserting their health condition. All are now stable,' he said. Replying to a question, the CDMO said that the death toll in the stampede tragedy was three. Meanwhile, Youth Congress activists gheraoed the chief minister's residence here, demanding the resignation of CM Mohan Charan Majhi and Law Minister P Harichandan. A scuffle broke out between police personnel and youth Congress members. The agitators were later picked up by the police when they tried to breach barricades near the CM's residence. In a social media post, Odisha BJP president Manmohan Samal expressed grief over the stampede incident and described it as 'unfortunate'. 'The state administration should be careful to avoid such incidents in future. We welcome the immediate decision of the chief minister and express condolences to the families of the deceased.'
Time of India
5 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Inquiry into Puri Rath Yatra stampede to be completed in 30 days: Odisha minister
Bhubaneswar: Odisha's Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan on Sunday said that an administrative inquiry into the Puri stampede incident that left three people dead and 50 others injured would be completed within 30 days. The stampede took place near Shree Gundicha Temple in Puri early on Sunday during a ceremony related to the ongoing Rath Yatra festivities. Harichandan said that Development Commissioner Anu Garg will submit her inquiry report to the chief minister within the stipulated 30 days. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Play War Thunder now for free War Thunder Play Now Undo "The state government will take stern action against those responsible for the tragic incident," the law minister said. Chief District Medical Officer (CDMO), Puri, Kishore Satapathy told PTI that all the injured people have been discharged from a government health facility by 8 pm. Live Events "All the injured have been discharged from a hospital after asserting their health condition. All are now stable," he said. Replying to a question, the CDMO said that the death toll in the stampede tragedy was three. Meanwhile, Youth Congress activists gheraoed the chief minister's residence here, demanding the resignation of CM Mohan Charan Majhi and Law Minister P Harichandan. A scuffle broke out between police personnel and youth Congress members. The agitators were later picked up by the police when they tried to breach barricades near the CM's residence. In a social media post, Odisha BJP president Manmohan Samal expressed grief over the stampede incident and described it as "unfortunate". "The state administration should be careful to avoid such incidents in future. We welcome the immediate decision of the chief minister and express condolences to the families of the deceased."
