What began as a sacred celebration turned tragic at Puri Jagannath Rath Yatra on Sunday morning. A deadly stampede near Gundicha Temple left three people dead and over 50 injured. The chaos reportedly began after two trucks entered an already overcrowded area, triggering panic among the devotees.
Puri Jagannath Rath Yatra: Stampede Before Sunrise Near Gundicha Temple
As per a PTI report, the stampede occurred between 4 and 5 am at Saradhabali, where thousands had gathered to see the chariots of Lord Jagannath and his siblings. The chariots had reached the temple area on Saturday, and many devotees had stayed overnight.
Eyewitnesses said the situation worsened when two trucks carrying wooden logs tried to enter the narrow space. Chinmay Patrao, who saw the incident, said, “The narrow congregation site, combined with limited police presence and scattered palm-log ladders near the chariots, created hazardous conditions for devotees.”
3 Dead, 50 Injured In Puri Jagannath Temple Stampede
The three victims were identified as Premakanta Mohanty (80), Basanti Sahoo (36), and Prabhati Das (42). Among the 50 injured, six are said to be in critical condition. At least 12 people are in the ICU, according to hospital sources.
🚨 TRAGIC NEWS! 3 people DIED and around 50 INJURED in a stampede near the Jagannath Temple during Rath Yatra 💔
🇮🇳 June’s heartbreak continues:
— Bengaluru Chinnaswamy Stampede
— Ahmedabad Plane Crash pic.twitter.com/e4WCI3Osak— Megh Updates 🚨™ (@MeghUpdates) June 29, 2025
Shockingly, there were warning signs a day before the tragedy. On Saturday, over 750 devotees were hospitalised due to crowd pressure and exhaustion. Around 230 were taken to the Infectious Disease Hospital (IDH), while 520 others were treated at the District Headquarters Hospital (DHH). One person was shifted to SCB Medical College in Cuttack for advanced care.
Locals say this could have been avoided. A resident named Debass Das shared, “Friday’s Rath Yatra faced similar issues when Lord Jagannath’s chariot couldn’t be pulled due to overwhelming crowds. Sunday’s tragedy was a devastating repeat.”
Odisha Government Promises Action
Odisha Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan shared his condolences and promised a full investigation. Speaking to ANI, he said, “The tragedy involving three deaths has deeply saddened us. We will conduct a thorough investigation, and appropriate action will be taken against those whose negligence led to this unfortunate incident.”
Puri Stampede | Odisha Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan confirms three deaths and six to seven injured
Speaking to ANI over the phone, Odisha Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan said, “It is an unfortunate incident. We are taking note of that. I spoke with the CM this… pic.twitter.com/unE8osPw9C
— ANI (@ANI) June 29, 2025
This is the first fatal stampede reported outside Gundicha Temple during the Rath Yatra. After this incident, concerns have been expressed about crowd control and planning at large-scale religious events.
