Agencies | Puri:
A stampede-like situation broke out during the Jagannath Rath Yatra in Odisha’s Puri on Thursday after an overwhelming rush of devotees caused severe congestion along the Grand Road (Bada Danda) during the ceremonial Pahandi procession.
According to preliminary reports, the incident occurred about 500 metres from the outer security cordon as lakhs of devotees gathered to witness the procession. The massive crowd led to panic after movement came to a standstill at several points along the route.
Around 200 devotees reportedly experienced breathing difficulties due to overcrowding. Emergency response teams, including the Special Rescue Unit (SRU), promptly evacuated those affected and shifted them to Puri Medical and other nearby healthcare facilities for treatment. Many others were administered first aid at temporary medical camps set up along the route.
According to sources, one devotee reportedly died after falling unconscious due to suffocation. The individual was rushed to the Puri District Headquarters Hospital (DHH), where doctors declared him dead on arrival. However, officials had not issued an official confirmation of the death at the time of filing this report.
Following the incident, authorities strengthened crowd-control measures and emergency response operations along the Grand Road. Security personnel, volunteers and rescue teams were deployed to regulate the movement of devotees, ease congestion and create additional passageways for emergency vehicles and pilgrims.
The incident has once again raised concerns over crowd management during one of India’s largest religious gatherings. In 2025, at least three devotees were killed and more than 50 injured in a stampede near the Shri Gundicha Temple during the annual Rath Yatra. The tragedy was reportedly triggered after vehicles carrying ritual materials entered an already overcrowded area where devotees had assembled to witness the sacred ‘Pahuda’ ritual.
The world-renowned Jagannath Rath Yatra commenced on Thursday with lakhs of devotees thronging Puri to witness Lord Jagannath, his elder brother Lord Balabhadra and sister Goddess Subhadra begin their annual journey from the 12th-century Jagannath Temple to the Gundicha Temple.
Amid the sound of conches, cymbals and gongs, Chakraraj Sudarshan was first taken out of the temple and placed on Goddess Subhadra’s chariot, Darpadalan. This was followed by the ceremonial Sunya Pahandi, during which the idol of Goddess Subhadra was carried to her chariot by servitors.
As Lord Jagannath’s idol emerged from the temple, the Grand Road echoed with chants of “Jai Jagannath,” with thousands of devotees raising their hands in devotion to mark the beginning of the sacred annual festival.
