A deadly stampede near the Gundicha Temple in Puri, Odisha, during the annual Rath Yatra festival has resulted in three fatalities and over 50 injuries. The incident occurred on Sunday morning between 4 and 5 am, as thousands of pilgrims gathered to witness the rituals.
The tragedy unfolded due to a sudden surge in the crowd during the celebrations of the Hindu chariot festival. According to reports, the chaos was triggered when two trucks carrying ritual materials entered a congested area near the chariots. Eyewitnesses described a scene of confusion and inadequate response, with one witness, Chinmay Patra, noting that the narrow congregation site, limited police presence, and scattered palmlog ladders near the chariots created hazardous conditions for devotees.
Officials have identified the deceased as Premakant Mohanty (80), Basanti Sahoo (36), and Prabhati Das (42). Nine devotees experienced breathlessness and were taken to the hospital, where three of them died. While the situation was later brought under control, the incident has drawn sharp criticism regarding failures in crowd management, with eyewitnesses citing poor planning and VIP arrangements as contributing factors.
Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi expressed his condolences to the families of the deceased and announced the launch of an investigation into the incident. Former Chief Minister Patnaik has also criticized the administration's incompetence in handling the event. Odisha's Director General of Police (DGP) Y B Khurania has been dispatched to the site to assess the situation.
The annual Rath Yatra festival involves the procession of chariots carrying the deities of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Goddess Subhadra. The chariots had reached the Gundicha Temple on Saturday, a day after the commencement of the Rath Yatra. Local resident Debasis Das mentioned that the pulling of Lord Jagannath's chariot had already faced delays due to the immense crowd pressure.
This is not an isolated incident, as deadly stampedes are a recurring issue at religious festivals in India, where large crowds often congregate in limited spaces. In May 2025, a crowd crush at a temple in Goa led to six deaths and approximately 80 injuries. In January 2025, at least 30 people lost their lives in a stampede at the Kumbh Mela festival in Uttar Pradesh.
The state government has initiated an investigation into the tragedy. The investigation aims to identify the causes of the stampede and implement measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.
