Puri Stampede: Who is to be blamed for deaths of Lord Jagannath devotees near Gundicha Temple?

A stampede near Puri’s Gundicha Temple early this morning has claimed three lives and left more than 50 devotees injured, casting a shadow over the sacred Rath Yatra celebrations.

The tragedy struck Saradhabali around 4:20 am, moments after the ‘pahuda’ of the deities on the three chariots reopened for public darshan. 

Sudden Crowd Surge After ‘Pahuda’ Reopening

According to officials, the ‘pahuda’ was closed at around 12:30 am, and it was reopened to devotees at 3:45 am. As thousands rushed in to get a glimpse of the deities, a sudden surge occurred, creating a panic situation.

Trucks Sparked Panic!

Several eyewitnesses alleged that the chaos intensified when two trucks carrying ‘charamala’ attempted to move through the already packed area.

No Police Deployment?

The devotees also alleged that there were no police officials during the stampede and lack of administrative measures resulted in the death and injury of several people.

A devotee, who lost one of her relatives in the stampede, said, “Our happiness turned tragic because of the lack of proper measures being taken by the administration. There were no police present during the stampede. People helped each other to save lives, but unfortunately, I lost my sister in law in the mishap.”

“There was no police protection, and no one from the disciplinary committee was present during the stampede. When I went to the information centre to draw their attention, I was asked to leave. My nephew and others rescued at least 50 people,” another devotee alleged.

Puri SP Refutes Allegations

Refuting the allegations, Puri SP Vinit Agrawal said, “There was police deployment at the spot. Details will be shared after the investigation.”