At least three devotees, including two women, have died, and over a dozen others were injured in a stampede near Puri Shree Gundicha Temple in Odisha this morning. Puri District Collector Siddharth S. Swain stated that the injured were taken to nearby hospitals. It is reported that six of the injured remain in critical condition. The bodies have been sent for post-mortem, and an investigation is underway. All three victims are believed to be from the nearby Khurda district and had come to Puri for the Rath Yatra.
Akashvani’s Correspondent reports that eyewitnesses said that several devotees sustained injuries when workers were unloading sacred Charamala logs from a truck near the Gundicha Temple. The incident caused panic among the crowd, leading to a stampede. At that moment, many devotees were seated on plastic mats, with many being trampled in the chaos.
Odisha Law Minister Prithviraj Harichandan stated that the government will conduct a full investigation. Director General of Police Y.B. Khurania, along with senior police officers, has arrived at the scene and is investigating the cause of the incident. Speaking to the media, Mr. Khurania said police are reviewing the ground arrangements and ensuring better crowd control for the remaining days of the Rath Yatra festivities.
The chariots of Lord Jagannath and His divine siblings now stand before the Gundicha Temple. The deities are scheduled to enter the temple by this evening, marking the start of their nine-day sojourn. During this sacred period, they will reside at the Gundicha Temple before returning to the Shree Jagannath Temple on the same chariots during the Bahuda Yatra return journey of the annual Rath Yatra-on July 5.
