Puri: Three people were crushed to death and dozens sustained injuries in a terrible stampede near the Shree Gundicha Temple in the city of Puri in Odisha that took place on Sunday, June 29, 2025, during Jagannath Rath Yatra.
The incident a glimpse of the holy chariots of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Devi Subhadra. The rush was so immense that it created a stampede-like condition at Saradhabali, alongside the temple. Two of them (devotees) died instantly, and the third one died while under treatment as a result of injury.
ଆଜି ଶ୍ରୀକ୍ଷେତ୍ରରେ ଶ୍ରୀ ଗୁଣ୍ଡିଚା ମନ୍ଦିର ନିକଟରେ ଚତୁର୍ଦ୍ଧାମୂର୍ତ୍ତିଙ୍କୁ ଦର୍ଶନ ସମୟରେ ଠେଲାପେଲା ଯୋଗୁଁ ୩ ଜଣ ଶ୍ରଦ୍ଧାଳୁଙ୍କ ମୃତ୍ୟୁ ଘଟଣା ଶୁଣି ମୁଁ ଅତ୍ୟନ୍ତ ଦୁଃଖିତ ଏବଂ ମର୍ମାହତ।
ମହାପ୍ରଭୁଙ୍କ ନିକଟରେ ପରଲୋକଗତ ଆତ୍ମାର ସଦଗତି କାମନା କରିବା ସହିତ ଶୋକସନ୍ତପ୍ତ ପରିବାରବର୍ଗଙ୍କୁ ସମବେଦନା ଜଣାଉଛି । ଏପରି ଦୁଃଖଦ ସମୟକୁ…
— Prithiviraj Harichandan (@PrithivirajBJP) June 29, 2025
The dead have been identified as Premakanta Mohanty (80), Basanti Sahoo (36), and Prabhati Das (42).
The minister of law and justice in Odisha, Prithiviraj Harichandan, reacted sharply by announcing a high-level deep sorrow. He said the situation is under watch, and strict measures will be taken against culprits, and he is hurrying to Puri to supervise the situation. Harichandan also made sure that approximately fifty persons got wounded, six of them in serious condition, and they all are getting treated in Puri District Hospital.
The mob ran away, and this caused the stampede, further worsened by the presence of two trucks loaded with ceremonial garlands that went into the crowded zone and triggered a panic amongst the devotees. Puri District Collector Siddharth S. Swain indicated that the absence of ambulances on the site compelled locals to bring the injured people to the hospital by themselves. We will do everything required, said Harichandan, stressing that the state government has ensured the best possible medical treatment for the victims.
Harichandan commented in one of his posts in X: I am very sad and distraught by the death of three devotees caused by a stampede near Shree Gundicha Temple. My prayers are with the dead persons, and condolences to the families that have lost loved ones. Top medical attention has been guaranteed to the injured by the state government, and I will wish them a quick recovery.”
I extend my heartfelt condolences to the families of the three devotees who have lost their lives in the tragic stampede at Saradhabali, #Puri and I pray to Mahaprabhu Jagannatha for the swift recovery of the devotees injured in this devastating incident.
Today’s stampede,…
— Naveen Patnaik (@Naveen_Odisha) June 29, 2025
Former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik criticised the crowd control management of the government. The stampede in the city today, which took place barely 24 hours after the debacle of crowd control during the Rath Yatra, speaks volumes of the incompetence of the government, he has written on X.
A probe is going on based on the supervision of DGP Y.B. Khurania and senior officials to find out the exact cause so that no more tragedy should be repeated. The incident, which occurred as the first ever reported fatal stampede outside Gundicha Temple, casts a doubt over the control of the crowd during the annual festival, which attracts lakhs of devotees. Policemen are now concerned about the safety of pilgrims as Rath Yatra goes on.