Puri: A major stampede occurred during the world-famous Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath in Puri, Odisha, leaving over 40 devotees seriously injured. The incident took place near the Shri Nahar area, close to the palace of King Gajapati Divya Singhadeva, during the ‘Pahaadi’ ritual on Friday. Though no casualties have been reported so far, several devotees fell unconscious due to the chaos and were immediately rushed to Puri Medical College for treatment, according to a report in TV9 Bharatvarsh
According to sources, a large crowd had gathered for the traditional ritual when panic broke out. As the administration struggled to manage the swelling numbers, a stampede-like situation emerged. Devotees began running frantically, resulting in many collapsing and getting trampled in the rush.
Medical officials confirmed that all the injured are being treated and arrangements have been made to ensure proper care. The local police and administrative teams were able to bring the situation under control and prevent a larger tragedy.
Odisha Minister Mukesh Mahaling said that the extreme weather may have contributed to the incident. He stated that a few devotees collapsed due to high humidity, but swift medical response helped prevent a larger tragedy. “Due to high humidity, one or two devotees collapsed. The rescue teams took them to the hospital immediately,” he said. The minister also assured that primary healthcare centres were operational near the temple and added, “I am also here to make sure glucose and water are being provided adequately. I will also visit the hospital to make sure that proper healthcare is being provided to those who may need it.”
Like every year, lakhs of devotees gathered to witness the chariot pulling of Lord Balabhadra towards the Gundicha temple, located about 2.5 km from the main temple. The massive crowd, eager to touch the ropes of the chariot, caused a surge that led to chaos and left many gasping for air or falling in the melee.
