“Tragedy at Puri Rath Yatra: 3 Killed, 50 Injured in Stampede; Odisha CM Issues Public Apology”

Stampede at Puri Rath Yatra Leaves 3 Dead, 50 Injured; Odisha CM Apologises, Orders Probe.

At least three people lost their lives and 50 others were injured in a tragic stampede near the Sri Gundicha Temple in Odisha’s Puri during the annual Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath. The incident occurred early Sunday morning, between 4:00 and 4:30 AM, amid an overwhelming surge of devotees.

Puri District Collector Siddharth S. Swain confirmed that the stampede-like situation unfolded as hundreds of devotees gathered near the temple for early morning darshan. The crowd swell turned chaotic, leading to panic and trampling.

Emergency services responded swiftly, rushing the injured to Puri District Hospital. Six individuals remain in critical condition. The deceased were identified as Prativa Das (52), Premakanta Mohanty (78), and Basanti Sahu (42), all hailing from Khurda district. Their bodies have been sent for postmortem.

The incident occurred at Saradhabali, right in front of the temple, where the deities were seated on their grand chariots. As the crowd surged forward for a glimpse of the deities, several people fell and were crushed in the chaos.

Authorities have launched an investigation to determine what caused the rush and whether crowd control measures failed. “We are examining the circumstances leading to the incident and checking for any lapses,” said an official.

Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi Apologises
Expressing sorrow over the tragedy, Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi issued a heartfelt apology. “The intense devotion and eagerness among pilgrims to see Mahaprabhu Jagannath led to a regrettable situation at Saradhabali. I, along with my government, seek forgiveness from all Jagannath devotees,” he said.

Calling the incident a result of “serious negligence,” the Chief Minister called it “unforgivable” and promised strict action. “A thorough investigation is underway, and those responsible will face exemplary consequences,” he added.

Naveen Patnaik Slams Government
BJD chief and former CM Naveen Patnaik strongly criticised the Majhi-led government for what he described as “a massive failure in managing the Rath Yatra.” In a post on X, he said, “The stampede reflects the administration’s complete unpreparedness. My condolences to the families of the deceased and prayers for the speedy recovery of the injured.”

Patnaik further noted that the incident came just a day after earlier crowd control issues during the festival, which had already left several injured.

Temple Servitor Voices Concern
Senior Daitapati servitor of the Jagannath Temple, Ramakrishna Das Mahapatra, expressed grief and urged immediate administrative reforms. “This is the first time such a tragedy has happened. The arrangements must be improved to ensure safety for devotees,” he said.

Over a Million Devotees Attend Rath Yatra
The annual Rath Yatra draws lakhs of devotees from across India and abroad. This year, nearly one million people gathered to witness the deities — Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Goddess Subhadra — being pulled on their majestic chariots to the Gundicha Temple, where they will stay for a week before returning.

A day prior to the stampede, Odisha’s Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order), Sanjay Kumar, had stated that authorities were prepared for a turnout of 10 to 12 lakh devotees in Puri.