Stampede-like situation during India's Puri Rath Yatra festival: One feared dead, say reports

At least one person was killed, and around 100 devotees were reportedly injured after a temporary crowd surge led to a stampede-like situation during the Jagannath Rath Yatra in India's eastern city of Puri on Thursday, according to local media reports.

The incident in Odisha took place on Bada Danda, also known as the Grand Road, where lakhs of devotees had gathered to witness the chariots of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Goddess Subhadra being pulled through the city, the reports said. Some reports

Visuals from the spot showed security personnel helping injured and unwell devotees out of the crowd for medical treatment while also trying to disperse people to ease congestion.

Reacting to the incident, former Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik expressed grief over the death and urged the state government to ensure the safety and convenience of devotees through effective crowd management.

"I am deeply saddened by the news of the loss of lives among devotees in the stampede at Badadanda during Rath Yatra. I pray for the eternal peace of the souls of the devotees who have lost their lives and for the swift recovery of the more than a hundred injured devotees. In this hour of grief, all workers of the Biju Janata Dal will extend their full cooperation to provide assistance to everyone. I hope that the state government will ensure the convenience and safety of the devotees by properly managing the crowds," Patnaik wrote on X.

The Jagannath Rath Yatra is one of India's largest religious gatherings and attracts lakhs of pilgrims from across the country and abroad every year.

A similar stampede had occurred during the Puri Rath Yatra last year because of crowd mismanagement, infrastructure lapses and logistical disruptions. Three people were killed, and more than 50 others were injured in that incident.