Puri Stampede: How two trucks led to a deadly situation during Rath Yatra

Three devotees lost their lives early Sunday morning in a stampede outside the Gundicha Temple in Puri, Odisha. The incident happened between 4:00 a.m. and 4:30 a.m., when thousands had gathered to get a glimpse of the deities stationed in front of the temple, a day after the Rath Yatra.

Stampede occurred after rituals concluded smoothly
According to officials quoted by TOI, the main Rath Yatra rituals on Friday and Saturday were conducted without any issues, despite a brief delay due to a crowd surge on the first day. Over 12 lakh devotees attended the celebrations over two days. However, Sunday morning’s stampede occurred during a much smaller gathering of about 5,000–6,000 people.

Eyewitnesses say vehicles caused panic
Parikhita Mishra, an eyewitness from Dhenkanal, said that vehicles moving through the crowd triggered the chaos. “Two trucks carrying wooden ladders for the chariots were permitted to move through the crowd, further narrowing the space and triggering panic. There were no police officers to regulate their movement,” Mishra said.

Senior temple servitor calls it ‘a first in history’
Binayak Dasmohapatra, a senior servitor of the Jagannath Temple, said, “The location in front of Gundicha Temple can accommodate a maximum of 5,000–6,000 devotees. Stampedes can occur when chariots are moving. However, tragedy struck before stationary chariots, a first in history.”

Police accused of fleeing the spot
Survivors and witnesses said that police failed to manage the crowd and fled the scene. Dilip Sahu, whose wife Prabhati Sahu from Khurda district died in the stampede, said, “I watched in horror as police officers fled to protect themselves. My wife was unconscious, and I had to carry her to the hospital with help from other devotees. Police authorities who should have protected us were nowhere to be found.”

Witnesses say no official help came on time
Abhijit Das, husband of deceased devotee Prabhati Das from Bhubaneswar’s Nayapalli area, said, “There were hardly any police personnel visible despite the massive crowd. When people started falling and screaming, there was no organised response. We were completely on our own.”

Slippery ground worsened situation
Another survivor, Prasanjit Makahud, described dangerous conditions underfoot. “Some wooden logs were kept on the ground in front of the chariots. Many devotees stood on them to get a better view of the deities. The logs were slippery due to rain. Some slipped and fell, causing a domino effect,” he said.

Locals question police planning
Santosh Das, a Puri resident and regular temple-goer, criticised the authorities for repeated lapses. “Every year, we see huge crowds during festivals, yet the police authorities never learn. There were a handful of policemen for thousands of devotees. How can they possibly maintain order?” he asked.

Officials suspended, compensation announced
After the incident, Puri Deputy Commissioner of Police Bishnu Charan Pati and Police Commandant Ajay Padhi were suspended. The District Collector and Superintendent of Police were also transferred. The Odisha government has launched an investigation and announced ₹25 lakh as compensation for the families of each deceased victim.

(With inputs from TOI)