An unfortunate incident took place during the Jagannath Puri Rath Yatra on Sunday, where three devotees, including two women, lost their lives and several others were injured in a stampede. The tragedy unfolded near the Shree Gundicha Temple, approximately three kilometres from the Jagannath Temple, where the annual festival had commenced.&nbsp;
The stampede unfolded around 4.30 am in front of the Nandighosh chariot of Lord Jagannath, as thousands of devotees gathered to witness the deities &mdash; Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Goddess Subhadra &mdash; reaching their destination. As the crowd swelled near the Gundicha Temple, barriers collapsed, causing several people to fall near the wheels of the chariot, triggering panic.
Puri District Collector Siddharth S. Swain confirmed that three people died at the scene. The deceased have been identified as Prabhati Das, Basanti Sahu, and Premakant Mohanty, all residents of Khurda district who had travelled to Puri for the festival.
Local reports suggest that inadequate crowd control measures contributed to the tragedy. Several of the injured were rushed to hospital, with six said to be in critical condition.
Odisha&rsquo;s Law Minister, Prithiviraj Harichandan, expressed condolences to the bereaved families and announced a high-level inquiry. "This tragedy has deeply saddened us. We will thoroughly investigate the matter, and appropriate action will be taken if negligence is found," he stated.
The incident has reignited concerns over safety arrangements at major religious events. A political row has also erupted, with BJD chief and former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik describing the situation as a "terrible mess."
"All we can do now is pray. May Mahaprabhu Jagannath forgive those responsible for the chaos that has overshadowed this divine festival," Patnaik remarked.
The Rath Yatra, one of the most significant religious gatherings in the country, draws lakhs of devotees to Puri every year, highlighting the urgent need for robust crowd management measures.

Rath Yatra chaos sparks crowd management questions (File Photo)

Stampede broke out near Nandighosh chariot amid chaos near Gundicha Temple

Puri Rath Yatra Stampede: 3 Dead, Several Injured

Stampede broke out near Nandighosh chariot amid chaos near Gundicha Temple

June 29, 2025 | 15:32 IST