The administrative inquiry into the tragic stampede near the Gundicha temple in Puri, which claimed three lives on June 29, 2025, has entered a critical phase. Anu Garg, the Development Commissioner leading the investigation, presided over a public hearing at the Special Circuit House in Puri.
At this session, 48 individuals and organisations presented their statements, following an earlier hearing in Bhubaneswar where 17 testimonies were recorded.
The stampede occurred in the early hours of June 29, 2025, between 3:50 AM and 4:20 AM, in the Saradhabali area in front of the Gundicha Temple. The incident took place as the chariots of Lord Jagannath and his siblings were stationed for the Rath Jatra festival, attracting massive crowds.
“I was present at the stampede site on the day of occurrence and recorded my statement before the development commissioner. I informed how the crowd of devotees rushed towards chariots as soon as the ‘Pahuda’ (cloth covering the front portion of charuit) was removed for ‘Mangal Aarti’ (early morning Aarti),” said Anath Dasmohapatra, a servitor.
Key factors identified in preliminary reports
Overwhelming crowds: Thousands of devotees gathered in a narrow section for darshan (viewing of the deities), far exceeding the area’s capacity.
Chaotic darshan management: Witnesses reported that the temporary closure and subsequent reopening of the darshan system during the pre-dawn hours led to impatience and a surge of devotees, resulting in pushing and people falling.
Unauthorised vehicular movement: A major concern raised was the entry of two trucks carrying sacred “Charamala” wood into the already congested area, which further restricted space and heightened the chaos. Witnesses also noted inadequate police presence to manage these vehicles.
Slippery conditions: Rain-soaked wooden logs placed near the chariots contributed to devotees losing their footing, exacerbating the situation.
Immediate government response
Following the incident, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi expressed deep sorrow, ordered an administrative inquiry, and announced ex-gratia compensation of Rs 25 lakh for the families of the deceased.
In response to alleged negligence, Puri Collector Siddharth Sekhar Swain and Puri SP Vinit Agarwal were transferred, while DCP Bishnu Pati and Commandant Ajay Padhi were suspended.
Development Commissioner Anu Garg has been tasked with a comprehensive investigation and is required to submit her report within 30 days. The inquiry aims to:
- Determine the precise causes of the stampede
- Identify lapses in crowd control or administrative management
- Recommend measures to prevent similar incidents in the future
The state government has appealed to the public for any relevant information, video recordings, or other evidence to ensure a thorough and transparent investigation. The recent public hearing marks a pivotal step as authorities collect first-hand accounts to reconstruct the sequence of events that led to the tragedy.
This was the second public hearing, following the first held in Bhubaneswar on Wednesday. So far, statements have been recorded from 65 individuals and organisations.
With inputs from PTI