Jagannath Rath Yatra: Three devotees died and several were injured following a stampede near Puri’s Gundicha Temple in Odisha earlier today. Jagannath Rath Yatra, the annual chariot festival in Puri, took an unfortunate turn when two trucks entered the Saradhabali area.

As per PTI, the stampede took place at around 4 AM. Puri DM Siddharth Swain, who has now been transferred, shared that the injured were rushed to a nearby hospital, where they received the necessary treatment. Odisha CM Mohan Charan Majhi has ordered an “immediate investigation into the security lapses”.

What caused the stampede?

Eyewitness accounts, as per an HT report, reveal that two trucks filled with Charamala wood entered the Saradhabali area. With a crowd of over 1500 devotees along a 3km stretch, the arrival of the trucks sent a sudden wave of panic among them.

Eyewitnesses say that “people fell over each other” and many lost consciousness within minutes. Three people died of suffocation, while others were gravely injured.

Another Puri resident, Swadhin Kumar Panda, who claimed to have been at the temple until 3 AM, criticised the event’s management, calling it inadequate. He told ANI that a separate entry route had been created for VIPs, while regular devotees were directed to exit from a much farther point.

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“People began leaving through the main entrance, which led to overcrowding,” he explained. He also pointed out poor traffic control, alleging that several vehicles with unauthorised passes were allowed near the temple, worsening the situation.”

Stampede aftermath

In a punitive measure following the Puri temple stampede that left three people dead and nearly 50 injured on Sunday, Chief Minister Mohan Majhi ordered the transfer of District Collector Siddharth Shankar Swain and SP Vineet Agrawal. He said that, “negligence is unforgivable” and directed “exemplary action against those responsible.”

Majhi also announced the suspension of two police officers, DCP Bishnu Pati and Commandant Ajay Padhi. He also announced a financial assistance of Rs 25 lakh for the next of kin of each deceased devotee.

Rath Yatra preparations

Puri’s annual chariot festival began on June 27 and will conclude on July 5. Around 10,000 security personnel were deployed, parking spaces were demarcated and officials were on high-alert. “Compared to last year, we are expecting around a 15 per cent increase in the number of devotees attending,” shared Swain when celebrations began in Puri.