In the wake of the tragic stampede near Gundicha Temple in Puri that resulted in the loss of three devotees’ lives on June 29, the Odisha government has deputed four senior OAS (SAG) officers to assist Development Commissioner-cum-Additional Chief Secretary Anu Garg in the detailed administrative enquiry.
The officers appointed to support the probe are:
- Manas Ranjan Samal, Joint Director of Estates and Additional Secretary, G.A. & P.G. Department
- Binaya Kumar Dash, Additional Secretary to Government, Housing & Urban Development Department (currently deployed in Puri till July 8, 2025)
- Rashmi Ranjan Nayak, Additional Secretary to Government, Water Resources Department (currently deployed in Puri till July 8, 2025)
- Pradip Kumar Sahoo, Additional Secretary to Government, Works Department (currently deployed in Puri till July 8, 2025)
These officers will undertake the enquiry responsibilities in addition to their existing duties. As per the directive, they are required to report to the office of the Development Commissioner daily from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM to support the investigation process.
The enquiry, led by Anu Garg, aims to identify lapses in crowd management and recommend corrective measures to prevent such incidents in the future. The tragedy, which occurred during the Rath Yatra festivities, has sparked widespread concern over safety protocols at major religious gatherings across Odisha.
