AT LEAST three persons, including two women, were killed and around 50 others injured in a stampede near Shree Gundicha Temple in Odisha’s Puri on Sunday morning, officials said. The incident took place around 4 AM when thousands of devotees gathered near the temple to witness Rath Yatra festivities, they said. The injured have been admitted to a nearby hospital, and the condition of six people is stated to be critical. “Out of the 50 injured, six are still unconscious and their condition is very serious,” an official of the medical facility, where they are undergoing treatment, said. Chaos ensued after two trucks carrying materials for rituals reportedly entered the crowded spot near the chariots of Lord Jagannath and his sibling deities.

 

Devotees in large numbers had assembled outside the temple since the early hours to catch a glimpse of the deities when the ‘Pahuda’ (cloth) covering their faces was to be removed, as part of the rituals, the officials said. The deceased were identified as Basanti Sahu (36) from Bolagarh, and Premakant Mohanty (80) and Pravati Das (42) from Balipatna. Their bodies have been handed over to family members, and the cremation will take place at ‘Swargadwar’ in Puri. In a punitive measure following the stampede, Chief Minister Mohan Majhi ordered the transfer of District Collector Siddharth Shankar Swain and SP Vineet Agrawal. Majhi also announced the suspension of two police officers – DCP Bishnu Pati and Commandant Ajay Padhi – an official release said.He ordered an administrative inquiry into the matter to be carried out under the supervision of the development commissioner. The Odisha Government will provide financial assistance of Rs 25 lakh each to the next of kin of the deceased, the release added. Another notification issued by the General Administration Department stated that senior bureaucrat Aravind Agarwal has been appointed as in-charge of the overall supervision of Rath Yatra. Odisha Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati on Sunday expressed grief over the death of three persons in a stampede near Lord Jagannath’s chariots in Puri. The chaos reportedly erupted after the ceremonial “Pahandi” ritual, when a massive crowd gathered to catch a glimpse of the deities.

 

Devotees were moving between the chariots, leading to overcrowding. The situation worsened when a truck carrying ritual timber (Charamala wood) entered the crowded area and unloaded its cargo, further aggravating the situation. Some devotees fell to the ground during the stampede and were injured after coming into contact with the wood. Eyewitnesses and injured devotees have raised concerns over inadequate crowd management and lack of security arrangements at the site. Reports indicate that there was insufficient police presence to control the swelling crowd, contributing to the tragic incident. The Puri district administration and the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration are under scrutiny for the lapses in crowd control. Authorities have acknowledged the challenges posed by the unprecedented turnout and have assured that measures will be taken to prevent such incidents in the future. Earlier in a post on X, Majhi sought forgiveness from devotees of Lord Jagannath for the stampede, and tendered an apology on behalf of his Government for the incident.

 

“Due to intense eagerness among devotees to have a glimpse of Mahaprabhu... An unfortunate incident occurred because of the resulting jostling and chaos. I and my Government seek forgiveness from all Jagannath devotees. We express our condolences to the families of devotees who lost their lives... Pray to Mahaprabhu Jagannath to grant them the strength to bear this profound sorrow,” Majhi said. He also said that security lapses behind the incident would be probed and those found guilty will face stringent action. Odisha Law Minister Prithviraj Harichandan said that the situation is now normal at the Shree Gundicha Temple, where devotees are offering prayers to the deities on chariots. Puri’s titular king, Gajapati Maharaja Divyasingha Deb, expressed shock over the incident, and appealed to the State Government to carry out a comprehensive inquiry into the matter.

 

The titular king, who is also the chairman of the Shree Jagannath Temple Managing Committee (SJTMC), also urged the Odisha Government to take proper and immediate steps to prevent the recurrence of any such incident. Health department sources said among those critically injured, one has been shifted to the SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack, while five others are in ICU. A host of political leaders, including Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi and BJD chief Naveen Patnaik condoled the deaths, with many criticising the State Government over arrangements for the Rath Yatra. Kharge said he was deeply pained by the stampede, and asserted that the “negligence and mismanagement” which led to the tragedy are inexcusable. In a post on X, Gandhi described the Puri temple stampede as “extremely tragic”, and urged the Odisha Government to expedite relief efforts.

 

“This tragedy is a serious reminder that security and crowd management preparations for such large events must be thoroughly reviewed. Protecting lives is paramount, and any lapse in this responsibility is unacceptable,” he said. Union Minister and BJP leader Dharmendra Pradhan told PTI Videos in West Bengal’s Panihati that those supervising the management of the Rath Yatra should have made better arrangements. BJD chief and Leader of Opposition in Odisha assembly, Naveen Patnaik, claimed that the stampede exposed the State Government’s glaring incompetence in ensuring a peaceful Rath Yatra for devotees. “While I refrain from accusing the Government of criminal negligence, their blatant callousness has undeniably contributed to this tragedy. I urge the Government to implement urgent corrective measures to ensure the smooth conduct of Adapa Bije, Bahuda, Suna Besha, and other key #RathYatra rituals,” Patnaik, a five-term Chief Minister, added. Patnaik also spoke with family members of some of the deceased.