“Stampede at Puri Rath Yatra Leaves 3 Dead, 50 Injured; Chief Minister Expresses Regret”

Puri Rath Yatra Stampede: 3 Dead, 50 Injured; Odisha CM Apologises, Probe Ordered.

A stampede near the Sri Gundicha Temple in Puri, Odisha, during the annual Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath claimed the lives of at least three devotees and left 50 others injured early Sunday morning around 4:00–4:30 AM.

According to Puri District Collector Siddharth S. Swain, the tragedy unfolded as a massive crowd gathered near the temple for early darshan. A sudden surge created a panic-like situation, leading to people being trampled.

Emergency services responded swiftly, transporting the injured to Puri District Hospital. Six are reported to be in critical condition. The deceased have been identified as Prativa Das (52), Premakanta Mohanty (78), and Basanti Sahu (42), all residents of Khurda district.

The incident occurred at Saradhabali, in front of the Gundicha Temple, as devotees surged forward for a glimpse of the deities seated on their chariots. In the chaos, several people fell and were trampled by the crowd.

Authorities have launched an investigation to determine the exact cause and assess possible crowd control failures. “We are verifying what triggered the rush and checking for any lapses in arrangements,” a senior official said.

CM Mohan Majhi Issues Apology
Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi expressed deep regret over the incident, stating: “Due to the immense eagerness of devotees at Saradhabali, an unfortunate situation arose. I, along with my government, seek forgiveness from all Jagannath devotees.”

Calling the incident a result of “grave negligence,” the CM described it as “unforgivable” and ordered a thorough probe. He assured that strict and exemplary action would be taken against those responsible for any security lapses.

Opposition Slams Government
Leader of the Opposition and BJD President Naveen Patnaik criticised the BJP-led state government for failing to ensure crowd safety. He posted on X: “Heartfelt condolences to the families of the deceased. The tragic stampede highlights the government’s failure to manage the Rath Yatra crowd.”

He further noted that Saturday’s mismanagement had already raised concerns, with reports of injuries due to inadequate control measures.

Temple Servitors Demand Better Arrangements
Senior servitor of the Jagannath Temple, Ramakrishna Das Mahapatra, expressed sorrow and called for stronger safety protocols: “This is deeply saddening. I urge the administration to ensure no further inconvenience to devotees.”

Massive Crowd Presence
Nearly one million devotees participated in this year’s Rath Yatra, as the chariots of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Goddess Subhadra were pulled through the streets of Puri toward the Gundicha Temple. Earlier, Odisha Police had estimated a turnout of 10–12 lakh people for the annual event.