Puri Jagannath Rath Yatra Stampede: 3 individuals, including 2 woman died and at least 50 other injured early morning of Sunday in a stampede incident near Gundicha Temple at the Saradhabali area in Puri.
According to reports, 6 people are in a critical condition in the stampede incident in the Jaganath Puri Rath Yatra area, near Gundicha Temple in Puri.
The died people identified as Premakanta Mohanty age 80, Basanti Sahoo age 36 and Prabhati Das age 42, according to Puri district headquarter hospital.
Puri Jagannath Rath Yatra Stampede incident
The Stampede incident has taken at around 4:00 am on Sunday morning, where a large crowd of pilgrims gathered to see the deities on their Rath.
The Puri Jagannath Rath has arrived at Sardha Bali from Jagannath Temple on Saturday, the day after Rath Yatra.
According to an Eyewitness, at around 4 am, two trucks loaded with Charamala wood entered the crowd area, near Gundicha Temple, which about 3 KM away from Jagannath Temple, where 1500 devotee seated, waiting for the deities in the Rath to unveiled to the public. The unexpected arrival of the trucks caused chaos and the incident occurred.
Chinmay Patra, an eyewitness, “The narrow congregation site, combined with limited police presence and scattered palm-log ladders near the chariots, created hazardous conditions for devotees.”
Odisha Law Minister Prithviraj Harichandan stated that the state government will launch a thorough investigation into the incident. “Strict action will follow once the probe is complete. The Chief Minister has already been briefed,” he said. Director General of Police (DGP) Y.B. Khurania, along with other top police officials, has also visited the site.
“Friday’s Rath Yatra had already shown signs of mismanagement when Lord Jagannath’s chariot couldn’t be pulled due to an uncontrollable crowd. Sunday’s incident was a tragic repeat,” said local resident Debasis Das.
This is the first time a fatal stampede has occurred outside the historic Gundicha Temple.
Hundreds Hospitalised During Rath Yatra
On Saturday, around 750 devotees were taken to various hospitals due to exhaustion and the intense crowd pressure during the festival, health authorities confirmed.
Breakdown of Hospital Admissions
- Infectious Disease Hospital (IDH): Over 230 devotees admitted
- District Headquarters Hospital (DHH): Around 520 people treated
While most received first aid and were later discharged, one critically ill devotee had to be shifted to SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack for advanced treatment.
12 Devotees in ICU
At least 12 patients are currently being treated in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), with their condition being closely monitored by medical teams.
