Puri stampede: Odisha govt cracks whip, transfers Collector and SP; ex-gratia announced

In the wake of the tragic stampede that led to the death of three devotees near Gundicha temple during the grand Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath in Puri, the Odisha Chief Minister’s Office has announced a series of swift and decisive actions, including financial compensation, administrative inquiry, and major personnel changes at the district level.

In a strong message indicating the seriousness of the government’s response, Puri Collector (District Magistrate) Siddharth Shankar Swain and Superintendent of Police (SP) Vinit Agarwal have been transferred with immediate effect. The decision aims to restore public trust and improve crowd management during such large-scale religious events.

In addition to the top-level changes, disciplinary actions have been taken against field-level officers directly involved in the security arrangements. Notably, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Vishnu Pati and Commandant Ajay Padhi have been suspended pending investigation.

Terming the incident as deeply painful and unacceptable, Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Majhi has directed the Development Commissioner to conduct an in-depth administrative inquiry to identify lapses and ensure accountability.

These administrative shake-ups underline the Odisha government’s commitment to ensuring better preparedness and stricter protocols for managing massive pilgrim turnout during future events like the Rath Yatra.

New Appointments:

Chanchal Rana, a senior bureaucrat, has been appointed as the new Collector of Puri.

Pinak Mishra will take over as the new Superintendent of Police in the district.

Earlier, CM Mohan Majhi had apologised to the devotees of Lord Jagannath for the tragic stampede near Gundicha temple.

Subsequently, a high-level meeting was held and the Odisha government announced the actions taken against the officials for the lapses that allegedly led to the stampede.

As per the official release, the state government will provide an ex-gratia assistance of Rs 25 lakh to the next of kin of each deceased devotee who lost their lives due to the stampede caused by overcrowding near Saradhabali.