Puri stampede LIVE: CM orders major shake-up, reassigns experienced officers

At least three people were killed and over 50 injured in a stampede near the Shree Gundicha Temple at Saradhabali in Odisha's Puri during festivities as part of Rath Yatra on Sunday (June 29).

Chief Minister Mohan Majhi has ordered the transfer of District Collector Siddharth Shankar Swain and SP Vineet Agrawal following the stampede.

Terming the “negligence” leading to the stampede as “unpardonable”, Majhi also announced the suspension of two police officers — DCP Bishnu Pati and Commandant Ajay Padhi — an official release said.

The Odisha government will provide financial assistance of Rs 25 lakh each to the next of kin of the deceased, the release added.

Six people critical

According to Swain, who has since been transferred, the incident took place around 4 am when hundreds of devotees gathered near the temple, where the chariots of the three deities – Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Devi Subhadra – have been stationed.

As part of the annual festival, the three deities are taken in chariots from the Sree Jagannath Temple to their aunt’s place, Sree Gundicha Temple, where they stay for seven days before returning to the main temple.

Also read: Rath Yatra: Devotees resume pulling chariots in Puri

The injured have been admitted to a nearby hospital, and the condition of six people is critical, Swain said.

The deceased were identified as Basanti Sahu from Bolagarh, and Premakant Mohanty and Pravati Das from Balipatna.

The bodies have been sent for post-mortem and an investigation is underway.

What caused the stampede?

Reports by local media quoting eyewitnesses say that while a large number of devotees had gathered at Saradhabali in the wee hours of Sunday, a rush occurred, causing panic and confusion when two trucks carrying ‘charamala’ arrived at the spot. Charamala are makeshift wooden stairs that are used to help carry deities to or down the chariots.

Reports say that ‘Pahuda’ was observed around 12.30 am and ‘darshan’ of the deities resumed at 3.45 am. It was around this time that the crowd surged, following which the stampede occurred.

According to OTV, several eyewitnesses have alleged that there was no police deployment in the area to handle the crowd.

Also read: Puri Rath Yatra: Over 600 people fall ill due to heat, overcrowding

“When this incident happened, no one responded, neither the fire officials, nor the rescue team, nor the hospital team. This is a pathetic incident that cannot be expressed..." ANI quoted a man who lost his wife in the stampede.

‘Will take necessary action’

DGP Y B Khurania and senior government officials are at the spot to take stock of the situation.

Meanwhile, Odisha Law Minister Prithviraj Harichandan said he has apprised Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi about the incident.

“We will take all the necessary action,” Harichandan said.

Also read: Rath Yatra 2025: Puri gears up with enhanced security, AI surveillance

The chariots of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra had on Saturday reached Shree Gundicha Temple, a day after the Rath Yatra began in Puri. The temple is considered the aunt's place of the deities, which go there every year from the 12th-century Jagannath temple, situated at a distance of 2.6 km, as part of the rituals. The return car journey, known as Bahuda Yatra, will be held on July 5.

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