Bhandare, Puri: Death of 3; Injury of 50 in Puri Rath Yatra Stampede: Odisha CM Ordered Inquiry
PURI, ODISHA, India—June 30, 2025: A tragic stampede during the annual Jagannath Rath Yatra in Puri, Orissa, on Sunday, June 29, 2025, resulted in the deaths of three devotees and left over 50 injured, prompting Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi to order a high-level administrative probe into the incident. It turned out that the early morning crowd crush took place near the Gundicha Temple, surpassed the security measures taken, and evoked sharp criticism regarding the management of crowds.
Fatal Crowd Surge Near Gundicha Temple
This stampede occurred between 3:30 am and 4:30 am on Sunday, June 29, as thousands of devotees converged near the Gundicha Temple for a very early morning “darshan” of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Goddess Subhadra, whose chariots were parked after the main pulling ritual. Eyewitnesses reported that chaos ramped up by inserting two trucks carrying ritual materials (“charamala” wood) into the already packed Saradhabali, a consecrated sandy open space, leading to a sudden, uncontrollable surging action.
Identified as Basanti Sahu (36) from Bolagarh, Pravati Das (45) from Balipatna, and Premakant Mohanty (78) from Khurda district. Six of the injured are reported as critical, receiving medical treatment in Puri district headquarters hospital.
Immediate Government Response and Accountability
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi poured out profuse grief over the tragedy, apologizing to the devotees and pledging strict action against the perpetrators. He also announced an amount of ₹25 lakh (around $30,000 US) to the next of kin of each deceased person.
In an immediate administrative overhaul, Puri District Collector Sidharth Shankar Swain and Superintendent of Police (SP) Vinit Agarwal were shuffled on the spot. Two senior police officers—Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Bishnu Pati and Commandant Ajay Padhi—have also been suspended for dereliction of duty. Development Commissioner Anu Garg shall head the administrative inquiry, to be expected to report within 30 days.
Lapses in Crowd Management Alleged
There is widespread condemnation from opposition parties and eyewitnesses alleging lapses in crowd control, security arrangements, and overall management. Locals alleged that there was not much police at the juncture and that there had been “new ones made for VIPs,” leading more ordinary devotees to use congested exits or even entrances, contributing to the overcrowding.
Just a few days before this tragedy occurred, Rath Yatra witnessed some delays, and reportedly more than 750 also fell prey to exhaustion and heat-related issues on Friday, June 27. This incident only indicates the ongoing infamous handling of this pilgrimage.
Wider Implications for Festival Management
It’s a very important festival among Hindus, and there are millions of devotees who gather at this place during the Puri Rath Yatra; therefore, this stampede has the rare record of being fatal near Gundicha Temple. This event demonstrates the enormous challenges of managing mass religious gatherings and the very urgent requirement for robust safety measures and effective planning with the execution of all involved security mechanisms, all for devotee safety.
