Puri stampede: Seven cops, including DSP, charged with dereliction of duty

The Odisha government has recommended disciplinary action against seven senior police officers for alleged negligence during the June 29, 2025, Gundicha Temple stampede that left three devotees dead and several others injured during the annual Rath Yatra festival in Puri.

The recommendations, made by the Development Commissioner and Additional Chief Secretary (Planning & Coordination) following a high-level inquiry, cite “serious lapses in crowd control and operational failure” by the officers on duty.

Lapses In Crowd Management And System Failure

Sources reported that the inquiry report by Development Commissioner Anu Garg found that AI-based surveillance and crowd control mechanisms failed during the Rath Yatra. Of the 275 cameras sanctioned under the Integrated Command and Control Centre (ICCC) in Puri, only 123 were functional at the time of the incident.

The report further states that senior officers were absent from key locations, and ground personnel “did not take adequate steps for crowd management near the chariots.”

The official letter stated that police allowed the movement of vehicles carrying decorative wooden materials through densely packed areas filled with devotees. The entry of these trucks triggered panic and a sudden stampede outside the Gundicha Temple, where thousands had gathered for darshan of Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra, and Subhadra.

Failure To Report And Escalate The Situation

The report also noted that DSP Prashant Kumar Sahoo and IIC of Kumbharapada Police Station Susanta Sahoo failed to alert higher authorities about the swelling crowd and the delayed opening of the temple’s ‘pahuda’ gates.

Their inaction, the report stated, prevented timely intervention by the Puri SP or the district administration. As a result, the inquiry recommended disciplinary proceedings against Tapas Ranjan Das, K.K. Nayak, Prashant Sahoo, and Susanta Sahoo for negligence and breach of duty.

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Action Based On Inquiry Report

According to the official communication from the Home Department, action has been approved against the following officers:

• Ajay Kumar Padhi, Commandant, OSAP 3rd Battalion, Koraput
• Vishnu Prasad Pati, DCP (HQ), Commissionerate Police, Bhubaneswar-Cuttack
• Tapas Ranjan Das, Commandant, SSMSV, Puri
• K.K. Nayak, Deputy Commandant, SSMSV, Puri
• Prashant Kumar Sahoo, DSP, Puri City
• Susanta Kumar Sahoo, Officer-in-Charge, Kumbharapada Police Station
• Sarada Prasad Dash, Commandant, OSAP 3rd Battalion, Chatrapur

Tragic Incident And Allegations From Families

The June 29 stampede occurred at around 4:20 am when devotees surged forward for early-morning darshan. The deceased, Prabhati Das, Basanti Sahu, and Premakanta Mohanty, were among thousands of pilgrims gathered near the Gundicha Temple.

Eyewitnesses had then alleged that the entry of two trucks carrying charamala through the dense crowd caused panic and triggered the rush. Devotees accused the police of being preoccupied with VIP arrangements, neglecting basic crowd safety.