Stampede Kills 3, Injures Dozens at Puri Rath Yatra Festival

A tragic stampede occurred early Sunday morning during the Jagannath Rath Yatra festival in Puri, Odisha, resulting in three deaths due to suffocation and leaving multiple others injured. The incident took place near the Gundicha Temple as thousands of devotees gathered for darshan, with the crowd surge becoming uncontrollable despite existing security arrangements. The deceased—Prabhati Das, Basanti Sahu, and Premakant Mohanty—were residents of Khurda district and died at the scene, with injured individuals receiving medical care, some in critical condition. Odisha officials, including Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan and DGP YB Khurania, responded swiftly, deploying additional police forces and investigating the causes of the mishap, while assuring that the situation is now under control. Political leaders, notably former Chief Minister and BJD chief Naveen Patnaik, condemned the state's crowd management failures, calling for stringent corrective measures to ensure safety during this major religious event. The stampede has spotlighted concerns about the government's preparedness and crowd control during one of India's most significant Hindu festivals, which draws over a million devotees annually.