3 dead in Puri stampede: Two senior cops suspended; eyewitnesses reveal lapses

Three devotees died and over 50 others were injured in a deadly stampede near the Gundicha Temple in Puri, Odisha, during the annual Rath Yatra festival on Sunday morning. The incident unfolded between 4 and 5 am as thousands of pilgrims had gathered to witness the rituals when chaos broke out, reportedly due to two ritual trucks entering a congested area.

Odisha chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi expressed sorrow and announced a financial assistance of Rs 25 lakh to the next of kin of the deceased. He also took administrative action, suspending Puri DCP Bishnu Charan Pati and Police Commandant Ajay Padhi, while transferring Collector Siddharth S Swain and SP Binit Agarwal.

Also read: 3 dead, 50 injured in stampede near Puri’s Gundicha Temple

Officials identified the deceased as Premakant Mohanty (80), Basanti Sahoo (36), and Prabhati Das (42). While the situation was later brought under control, the tragedy has drawn sharp criticism over the failure in crowd management, with eyewitnesses blaming poor planning and VIP arrangements for the chaos.

The state government has launched an investigation, and Odisha's Director General of Police (DGP) Y B Khurania was sent to the spot to take stock. This is the first time such a fatal incident has occurred near the Gundicha Temple during Rath Yatra.

Odisha CM orders action after Puri stampede tragedy
CM Majhi expressed deep remorse over the stampede. In a post on X, Majhi said, “Due to intense eagerness among devotees to have a glimpse of Mahaprabhu... an unfortunate incident occurred because of the resulting jostling and chaos. I and my government seek forgiveness from all Jagannath devotees. We express our condolences to the families of devotees who lost their lives... pray to Mahaprabhu Jagannath to grant them the strength to bear this profound sorrow.”

Puri stampede: Odisha CM Mohan Charan Majhi tweets, "Personally, my government and I seek forgiveness from all Jagannath devotees. We express our condolences...This negligence is unforgivable. An immediate investigation into the security lapses will be conducted, and I have… pic.twitter.com/HXBHUOYuOO

— ANI (@ANI) June 29, 2025

The chief minister announced financial aid of Rs 25 lakh to the families of the deceased and pledged strict action over any lapses. “This negligence is unpardonable. An immediate investigation into the security lapses will be conducted, and I have directed that necessary steps be taken to initiate exemplary action against those responsible,” he stated.

As part of immediate action, Majhi ordered the suspension of Puri DCP Bishnu Charan Pati and Police Commandant Ajay Padhi, and the transfer of the District Collector and SP.

Eyewitness accounts point to chaos and mismanagement
Several eyewitnesses recounted scenes of utter confusion and mismanagement. Swadhin Kumar Panda, a local resident, said, “I was there near the temple till 23 am last night, but the management was not good. A new way was made for VIPs, and common people were asked to exit from a distance. People started exiting from the entrance itself, which increased the crowd.”

#WATCH | Puri, Odisha: Swadhin Kumar Panda, a resident of Puri, says, "I was there near the temple till 2-3 am last night, but the management was not good. A new way was made for VIPs, and common people were asked to exit from a distance. People started exiting from the entrance… https://t.co/jFE36gLDfu pic.twitter.com/6Ln6348Eoy

— ANI (@ANI) June 29, 2025

He added that unauthorised vehicles had entered the restricted zones near the temple, worsening the situation. “There was no police or administration present at night… The Odisha administration is responsible for this,” he said. Another grieving man who lost his wife in the stampede said no fire, rescue, or hospital officials responded promptly. “This is a pathetic incident that cannot be expressed,” he said.

Kharge demands accountability, calls tragedy 'inexcusable'
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge expressed anguish over the stampede during the Rath Yatra and criticised the Odisha government for what he described as serious lapses in crowd management. In a post on X, he said, “I am deeply pained by the stampede during the Mahaprabhu Jagannath Rath Yatra, which claimed three lives and injured at least 50 people. This tragedy follows reports of 500 devotees being injured on Friday during the yatra.”

Kharge added that the incident reflected “negligence and mismanagement” that was “inexcusable”, and called for a thorough probe. “The State Government and authorities must conduct a thorough investigation into the grave lapses that caused this incident,” he said, adding that public safety during large religious gatherings must be prioritised.

I am deeply pained by the stampede during the Mahaprabhu Jagannath Rath Yatra, which claimed three lives and injured at least 50 people. This tragedy follows reports of 500 devotees being injured on Friday during the yatra.

My thoughts and prayers are with the families of the…

— Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) June 29, 2025

Law Minister confirms deaths, promises action
Odisha Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan confirmed that three people died due to suffocation and six to seven were seriously injured. “It is an unfortunate incident. We are taking note of that. I spoke with the CM this morning. We are taking stringent action,” he told ANI, adding that the DGP had been dispatched to the site.

“The situation is now under control and the people are having darshan,” Harichandan said. He stated that additional police had been deployed and an investigation was underway. “We are trying our best to manage the crowd,” he said, assuring that he was personally monitoring the situation and would take necessary steps to avoid a repeat.


Former CM Patnaik slams ‘glaring incompetence’
Former Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik issued a strongly worded statement, criticising the current administration’s failure to ensure safety. “Today’s stampede, occurring just a day after the abysmal failure of crowd management during the Rath Yatra that left hundreds injured, exposes the government’s glaring incompetence,” he wrote on X.

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

He also said the initial response came not from officials but from devotees' relatives. “While I refrain from accusing the government of criminal negligence, their blatant callousness has undeniably contributed to this tragedy,” he said, urging immediate corrective measures for upcoming rituals like Adapa Bije and Bahuda Yatra.

Chariot procession overwhelmed by crowd, trucks blamed
The stampede reportedly began when two trucks carrying ritual materials entered the already packed area near the chariots. Eyewitness Chinmay Patra said, “The narrow congregation site, combined with limited police presence and scattered palmlog ladders near the chariots, created hazardous conditions for devotees.”

The chariots of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Goddess Subhadra had reached the Gundicha Temple on Saturday, one day after the Rath Yatra commenced. Local resident Debasis Das said that the pulling of Lord Jagannath’s chariot had already faced delays due to crowd pressure. “Sunday’s tragedy was a devastating repeat,” he said.

Health emergency: Hundreds fall ill, 12 in ICU

On Saturday, a day before the stampede, over 750 people reportedly suffered from exhaustion and heatrelated issues due to the massive turnout. Around 230 devotees were admitted to the Infectious Disease Hospital and another 520 to the district headquarters hospital, with 12 admitted to ICU. One critically ill patient was shifted to SCB Medical College in Cuttack.