BHUBANESWAR/ PURI: Three devotees, including two women, lost their lives and six others sustained injuries in a stampede that broke out in front of the Gundicha Temple in Puri during the early hours of Sunday.
The incident occurred between 3:30 am and 4:30 am after the chariot-pulling ritual of the Rath Yatra concluded and all three chariots were parked in front of the Gundicha Temple.
According to officials, two victims died on the spot, while the third succumbed to injuries at the hospital.
Puri Collector Sidharth Shankar Swain confirmed the deaths to the media, stating that six others were admitted to the Puri district headquarters hospital. Three of them have since been discharged.
The deceased were identified as Basanti Sahu (36) of Bolagarh, Pravati Das (45) of Balipatna, and Prema Kant Mohanty (78) of Khurda.
How it happened
The tragedy unfolded when the morning rituals known as pahada bhanga began, drawing a sudden surge of devotees eager to catch a glimpse of the deities atop the chariots. The crowd swelled in front of Lord Jagannath’s chariot, Nandighosa, resulting in people falling over each other in the chaos.
Eyewitnesses reported that local residents were the first to respond, helping transport the injured to nearby hospitals. Several people slammed the poor crowd control measures in place, especially given the overnight congregation of pilgrims. The situation spiraled out of control when the pahada bhanga ritual commenced.
Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan is reported to have briefed Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on the incident, while Director General of Police Y.B. Khurania rushed to Puri to assess the situation.
On Saturday, the three chariots had reached Gundicha Temple at around 1:30 pm after resuming the chariot-pulling that had remained incomplete the previous day. Authorities had already acknowledged that this year's Rath Yatra witnessed 1.5 times the usual number of attendees.
Sources said the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration had decided to conduct the Adapa Mandap Bije rituals on Sunday, which meant the deities remained atop the chariots overnight.
“Generally, pahada is not performed at night since a large number of devotees gather to see the deities atop the chariots. However, the ritual was conducted between 1:30 am and 2:00 am. News of early morning darshan led to a sudden influx of pilgrims that overwhelmed the available security and crowd control measures,” said sources.
Family members of one of the victims expressed their anger over the alleged mismanagement. “We reached Gundicha Temple after 3:30 am and there was a massive rush. But there were no police personnel to control the crowd. I lost my wife only because of the authorities’ negligence,” said the grieving kin.
Locals also reported that a truck carrying ladders used for the chariots arrived near the temple just as the crowd was swelling, adding to the chaos.
Naveen Patnaik slams BJP government
The Leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik, expressed his condolences on X (formerly Twitter), “I extend my heartfelt condolences to the families of the three devotees who have lost their lives in the tragic stampede at Saradhabali, Puri. I pray to Mahaprabhu Jagannath for the swift recovery of those injured.”
He also slammed the BJP-led state government, accusing it of failing to manage the crowd effectively. “Today’s stampede, coming just a day after the disastrous failure in crowd management during Rath Yatra, which left hundreds injured, exposes the government’s glaring incompetence in ensuring a safe and peaceful festival,” Patnaik said.
The former Chief Minister further slammed the delay in pulling the Nandighosa chariot on Rath Yatra day, which was attributed to “Mahaprabhu’s wish.” He called the explanation “a shocking excuse” and said it reflected the administration’s abdication of responsibility.
“While I refrain from accusing the government of criminal negligence, their blatant callousness has undeniably contributed to this tragedy,” he said.
Odisha govt transfers district collector, SP; 2 cops suspended
Hours after the incident, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi ordered the transfer of two senior officers of the district, Collector Siddharth Shankar Swain and SP Vinit Agrawal.
As per the order, Khurda Collector Chanchal Rana has been appointed as the new Puri Collector, and STF DIG Pinak Mishra will serve as the in-charge SP of the district. Majhi also ordered the suspension of DCP Bishnu Pati and Commandant Ajay Padhi for negligence in performing their duties. At least six devotees sustained injuries in the incident.
The Chief Minister has ordered an administrative inquiry headed by Development Commissioner Anu Garg. He also announced a compensation of Rs 25 lakh each for the kin of the deceased persons.
After the incident, Majhi held a high-level meeting in Bhubaneswar earlier in the day. “Any negligence that led to the stampede-like situation will not be tolerated and exemplary action will be initiated against all those responsible,” he said.
Meanwhile, Odisha Police informed citizens that there was a heavy inflow of vehicles towards Puri. The police said travellers heading to the temple town may have to wait for over two hours due to the traffic congestion on the roads connecting to Puri.