Daijiworld Media Network – Puri

Puri, Jun 29: Tragedy struck the sacred Rath Yatra in Odisha’s Puri on Sunday as three devotees, including two women, lost their lives and 10 others sustained injuries in a stampede near the Shree Gundicha Temple.

The incident occurred around 4:30 am when the chariots carrying the idols of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Goddess Subhadra reached the temple, located about three kilometres from the main Jagannath Temple where the annual Yatra began.

As thousands gathered for an early morning darshan, the crowd reportedly swelled uncontrollably. In the rush, several people fell, triggering a stampede. Three persons died on the spot. The deceased have been identified as Prabhati Das, Basanti Sahu, and 70-year-old Premakant Mohanty, all from Odisha’s Khurda district.

Local media reports have raised concerns about inadequate police arrangements for crowd control at the site. The condition of some of the injured is said to be critical.

The administration has yet to issue an official statement on the incident. The Rath Yatra, one of the most revered festivals in the region, usually sees lakhs of devotees from across the country.