A crowd rush during the Rath Yatra in Puri on Thursday claimed the life of one devotee and left more than 30 others hospitalised. The incident happened on the Grand Road as lakhs of devotees gathered to witness the annual chariot festival of Lord Jagannath.
According to reports, a 45-year-old devotee collapsed due to the heavy crowd and was taken to the district headquarters hospital. Doctors later declared him dead. Officials have not yet released the final casualty figures.
Hospital sources said most of the injured devotees are in stable condition. Extra medical staff were deployed to treat those affected, while senior officials continued to monitor the situation.
Despite heavy rainfall, over five lakh devotees from across Odisha and other states attended the festival. The Rath Yatra marks the annual journey of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Goddess Subhadra from the Jagannath Temple to the Gundicha Temple.
BJD president Naveen Patnaik expressed grief over the incident. He offered condolences to the bereaved families and wished a speedy recovery to the injured. He also urged the state government to strengthen crowd management and ensure the safety of all devotees.