On 29th June, at least three people were killed and more than 50 were injured in a stampede at Saradhabali, near the Gundicha temple in Puri, Odisha. The incident took place during the annual Rath Yatra between 4 AM and 5 AM. Thousands of devotees had gathered to witness the deities on their chariots when the incident occurred.
STORY | 3 killed, 50 injured in stampede near Shree Gundicha Temple in Odisha's Puri
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) June 29, 2025
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VIDEO | Visuals from Puri district hospital where injured are being admitted. pic.twitter.com/0b9TLnBZUB
According to the officials at the Puri district headquarters hospital, the deceased have been identified as 80-year-old Premakanta Mohanty, 36-year-old Basanti Sahoo and 42-year-old Prabhati Das. The chariots had arrived at Saradhabali from the Jagannath Temple on Saturday.
Eyewitnesses reported that chaos erupted when two trucks carrying wooden logs attempted to enter the congested area. One of the devotees present at the site told the media, “The narrow space, limited police presence and scattered palm-log ladders made it unsafe.”
Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan announced a high-level probe, calling the tragedy a result of gross negligence. Locals now demand better crowd management.
