Odisha: One person died, and hundreds of devotees fell ill after a stampede-like situation unfolded following a crowd surge during the Rath Yatra celebrations in Odisha's Puri, official sources said on Thursday.
Authorities said another person also died during the festival, but clarified that the death was unrelated to the crowd surge and was caused by cardiac arrest.
The incident occurred as lakhs of devotees thronged the holy town to witness the Pahandi ritual, the ceremonial procession of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra before the chariots begin their journey to the Shree Gundicha Temple.
Officials said the large crowd on Grand Road, popularly known as Bada Danda, led to several devotees experiencing breathing difficulties and exhaustion.
Inspector General of Fire Services Umashankar Dash said nearly 100 devotees had been rescued and shifted to temporary medical camps and ambulances for treatment.
"We have rescued almost 100 people who felt suffocated in the crowd. They have been taken to temporary hospitals and ambulances, providing timely relief," Dash said.
Health authorities are yet to issue an official statement detailing the casualties and the condition of those admitted for treatment.
Expressing grief over the incident, BJD president and Leader of the Opposition Naveen Patnaik said he was saddened by the loss of lives during the Rath Yatra and prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured.
"I pray for the eternal peace of the souls of the devotees who have lost their lives and for the swift recovery of the more than a hundred injured devotees,” the former chief minister said in a social media post.
He also appealed to party workers to assist devotees and urged the Odisha government to ensure effective crowd management to prevent such incidents.
The tragedy comes a year after three devotees lost their lives and several others were injured in a stampede near the Gundicha Temple during last year's Rath Yatra.
