The Odisha government has assured a thorough probe into the tragic stampede that claimed three lives and left six others injured during the early hours of Sunday near the chariots in Puri.
Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan expressed deep sorrow over the incident, offering condolences to the bereaved families. He confirmed that an investigation would be launched immediately to determine the cause and hold those responsible accountable.
The incident reportedly occurred between 4 a.m. and 4:30 a.m., shortly after the ceremonial closure of the deities’ ‘Pahuda’. Thousands of devotees had gathered for a glimpse of the holy siblings when a truck, allegedly brought in to clear palm logs, caused panic in the crowd. This resulted in a deadly stampede.
Eyewitnesses described a chaotic scene as the crowd surged forward. Puri Collector Siddharth Shankar Swain confirmed that nine people had difficulty breathing, and three fatalities were recorded: Pravati Das, Premkant Mohanty, and Basanti Sahoo. Six others are under treatment.
DGP Y.B. Khurania and district authorities promptly arrived at the scene. Police presence during the stampede has been contested, though Puri SP Vinit Agrawal refuted claims of inadequate deployment.
As the state reels from the tragedy, public demand grows for stricter crowd management protocols during large-scale religious events like Rath Yatra.
