Puri stampede: Minister to officials, who said what on mishap near Gundicha Temple

In a shocking turn of events during the annual Rath Yatra festivities, a stampede at Puri’s Saradhabali near the Gundicha Temple has claimed three lives and left over 50 devotees injured. 

The tragedy unfolded in the early hours of Sunday as thousands of devotees thronged the area for darshan of the Holy Trinity on the chariots, which are stationed near Gundicha temple. 

Amid mounting public outrage and serious questions over crowd management, ministers and officials have responded, promising swift action and an investigation into the lapses that may have led to the disaster.

Spoke to CM: Odisha Law Minister

Commenting on the tragic mishap, Odisha Law Minister Prithviraj Harichandan said, “I have spoken to the Chief Minister. We will take necessary action.”

Sudden Surge In Devotees Led to Chaos: Collector

Puri Collector Siddharth Shankar Swain said, “As soon as the Pahuda was opened, there was a sudden surge in the crowd. Nine devotees complained of breathlessness and were immediately shifted to the hospital. While three of them died, the remaining six are stable now. The autopsy of the deceased is being conducted, and the exact cause of death will be known once the post-mortem reports are out,” said the Puri Collector.

Police Deployment Was There: Puri SP

While devotees allege that there were no police officials during the stampede and lack of administrative measures resulted in the death and injury of several people, Puri SP Vinit Agrawal denied the allegation.

“There was police deployment at the spot. Details will be shared after the investigation,” the SP said.