Puri: A tragic stampede near the Gundicha Temple in Puri during the annual Jagannath Rath Yatra has claimed three lives and left at least 50 others injured, including six in critical condition, according to officials.
The incident occurred between 4:00 and 5:00 AM on Sunday at Saradhabali, close to the Gundicha Temple, when an unusually large weekend crowd gathered to catch a glimpse of the deities on their chariots. Eyewitnesses said chaos broke out when two trucks carrying wooden logs tried to enter the densely packed area.
The deceased have been identified as Premakanta Mohanty (80), Basanti Sahoo (36), and Prabhati Das (42), all residents of Odisha. Overcrowding, limited police control, and the presence of palm-log ladders scattered near the chariots reportedly worsened the situation, leading to panic.
Eyewitness Chinmay Patra noted, “The narrow space and uncoordinated crowd control created a dangerous environment for the devotees.”
Odisha Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy and announced a high-level probe into the incident. “Those responsible for the mismanagement will face strict action,” he assured.
Local residents also voiced concern, citing similar crowd-related disruptions on Friday when Lord Jagannath’s chariot couldn’t move due to overwhelming numbers. Debasis Das, a long-time local, called Sunday’s incident “a catastrophic failure in crowd management.”
This marks the first fatal stampede recorded in the vicinity of the Gundicha Temple during the Yatra.
On Saturday alone, health officials reported that over 750 devotees were hospitalized due to dehydration and crowd fatigue. Of these, 230 were admitted to the Infectious Disease Hospital (IDH) and 520 to the District Headquarters Hospital (DHH). While most were discharged after first aid, 12 patients remain in ICU, and one was shifted to SCB Medical College in Cuttack for specialized care.
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