Puri Rath Yatra stampede: Human Rights Commission issues notice to Collector, SP

The Odisha State Human Rights Commission (OSHRC) has taken suo motu cognisance of the recent stampede incident in Puri and has issued notices to the Puri District Collector and Superintendent of Police, seeking a detailed response on the matter.

In its directive, the Commission has instructed the state government to provide adequate medical treatment to all the injured individuals involved in the mishap. Expressing concern over the safety arrangements during the ongoing Rath Yatra festivities, the Commission emphasised the need for robust planning and crowd management.

Looking ahead, the Commission has advised the government to take preventive and strategic measures to ensure smooth conduct of the remaining key events of the festival, namely:

1. Bahuda Yatra (Return Car Festival),
2. Suna Besha (Golden Attire Ceremony), and
3. Niladri Bije (Return of the Deities to the Sanctum).

The Human Rights Commission’s intervention comes amid growing public concern over crowd safety and administrative preparedness during one of the state’s largest religious congregations.

Worth mentioning, 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.