Jagannath Rath Yatra Stampede: Was It Sparked by Overcrowding and Sudden Traffic Movement?
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In a tragic turn of events during the Rath Yatra celebrations in Odisha’s Puri, a stampede near the Gundicha Temple in Saradhabali claimed three lives and left over 50 people injured early Sunday morning.
The incident occurred around 4 AM as a massive crowd of devotees had gathered near the temple. Puri District Collector Siddharth S Swain confirmed the timing and location of the incident.
The injured were immediately rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment. The deceased have been identified as Pravati Das (52) from Balipatna, Basanti Sahu (42) from Godabhanga, and Premakanta Mohanty (78) from Bhubaneswar.
Odisha Law Minister Prithviraj Harichandan announced that a probe has been ordered into the incident. He stated that Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has been briefed, and assured that strict action will follow once the investigation is complete.
What Triggered the Stampede in Puri?
Around 1,500 devotees had gathered near the Gundicha Temple—about 3 km from the main Jagannath Temple—early Sunday to catch a glimpse of the deities on their chariots.
According to eyewitnesses, chaos broke out around 4 AM when two trucks carrying Charamala wood, considered sacred, unexpectedly entered the Saradhabali area. The sudden movement of these vehicles in the crowded space caused panic, leading to a stampede. Several people were injured in the commotion, and three lost their lives due to suffocation.
Adding to the tragedy, the husband of one of the victims alleged a lack of immediate response from authorities. “When this incident happened, no one responded, neither the fire officials, nor the rescue team, nor the hospital team,” he told ANI.
Eyewitnesses Point to Poor Crowd and Traffic Management During Puri Stampede
Eyewitness accounts from the tragic stampede near Puri’s Gundicha Temple paint a grim picture of mismanagement and delayed emergency response.
One witness described how people “people fell over each other” and many were unconscious within minutes. He said they rushed to the nearby information centre for help, but were told nothing could be done. The ambulance, he noted, was parked nearly a kilometre away, further delaying aid.
Another local resident, Swadhin Kumar Panda, who claimed to have been at the temple until 3 AM, blamed poor crowd control. Speaking to ANI, Panda said a separate path had been created for VIP entry, forcing regular devotees to exit from a more distant route. "People started exiting from the entrance itself, which increased the crowd," he explained.
He also pointed out lapses in traffic control, alleging that several vehicles with unauthorised passes had reached close to the temple, adding to the congestion.
The Rath Yatra had begun on Friday, with thousands of devotees pulling the grand chariots of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Goddess Subhadra from the Jagannath Temple to the Gundicha Temple. The deities will remain at Gundicha Temple for a week, before returning on July 1 to mark the conclusion of the annual procession.
The incident occurred around 4 AM as a massive crowd of devotees had gathered near the temple. Puri District Collector Siddharth S Swain confirmed the timing and location of the incident.
The injured were immediately rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment. The deceased have been identified as Pravati Das (52) from Balipatna, Basanti Sahu (42) from Godabhanga, and Premakanta Mohanty (78) from Bhubaneswar.
Odisha Law Minister Prithviraj Harichandan announced that a probe has been ordered into the incident. He stated that Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has been briefed, and assured that strict action will follow once the investigation is complete.
What Triggered the Stampede in Puri?
Around 1,500 devotees had gathered near the Gundicha Temple—about 3 km from the main Jagannath Temple—early Sunday to catch a glimpse of the deities on their chariots.
According to eyewitnesses, chaos broke out around 4 AM when two trucks carrying Charamala wood, considered sacred, unexpectedly entered the Saradhabali area. The sudden movement of these vehicles in the crowded space caused panic, leading to a stampede. Several people were injured in the commotion, and three lost their lives due to suffocation.
Adding to the tragedy, the husband of one of the victims alleged a lack of immediate response from authorities. “When this incident happened, no one responded, neither the fire officials, nor the rescue team, nor the hospital team,” he told ANI.
Eyewitnesses Point to Poor Crowd and Traffic Management During Puri Stampede
Eyewitness accounts from the tragic stampede near Puri’s Gundicha Temple paint a grim picture of mismanagement and delayed emergency response.
One witness described how people “people fell over each other” and many were unconscious within minutes. He said they rushed to the nearby information centre for help, but were told nothing could be done. The ambulance, he noted, was parked nearly a kilometre away, further delaying aid.
Another local resident, Swadhin Kumar Panda, who claimed to have been at the temple until 3 AM, blamed poor crowd control. Speaking to ANI, Panda said a separate path had been created for VIP entry, forcing regular devotees to exit from a more distant route. "People started exiting from the entrance itself, which increased the crowd," he explained.
He also pointed out lapses in traffic control, alleging that several vehicles with unauthorised passes had reached close to the temple, adding to the congestion.
The Rath Yatra had begun on Friday, with thousands of devotees pulling the grand chariots of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Goddess Subhadra from the Jagannath Temple to the Gundicha Temple. The deities will remain at Gundicha Temple for a week, before returning on July 1 to mark the conclusion of the annual procession.
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