3 killed, 50 injured in stampede near Gundicha Temple in Odisha's Puri; CM tenders apology

Public Lokpal
June 29, 2025

PURI: At least three persons, including two women, were killed and around 50 others injured in a stampede near Shree Gundicha Temple in Odisha’s Puri on Sunday morning, officials said.

The incident took place around 4 am when hundreds of devotees gathered near the temple to witness Rath Yatra festivities, Puri District Collector Siddharth S Swain said.

The injured have been admitted to a nearby hospital, and the condition of six people is critical, he said.

“Out of the 50 injured, six people are still unconscious and their condition is very serious,” an official of the medical facility, where they are undergoing treatment, said.

Chaos ensued after two trucks carrying materials for rituals reportedly entered the crowded spot near the chariots of Lord Jagannath and his sibling deities, officials said.

Devotees in large numbers had assembled outside the temple since the early hours to catch a glimpse of the deities when the ‘Pahuda’ (cloth) covering their faces was to be removed, as part of the rituals, they said.

The deceased were identified as Basanti Sahu (36) from Bolagarh, and Premakant Mohanty (80) and Pravati Das (42) from Balipatna.

In a post on X, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi sought forgiveness from devotees of Lord Jagannath for the stampede, and tendered an apology on behalf of his government for the incident.

“Due to intense eagerness among devotees to have a glimpse of Mahaprabhu... an unfortunate incident occurred because of the resulting jostling and chaos. I and my government seek forgiveness from all Jagannath devotees. We express our condolences to the families of devotees who lost their lives... pray to Mahaprabhu Jagannath to grant them the strength to bear this profound sorrow,” Majhi said.

He also said that security lapses behind the incident will be probed and those found guilty would face stringent action.

“This negligence is unpardonable. An immediate investigation into the security lapses will be conducted, and I have directed that necessary steps be taken to initiate exemplary action against those responsible,” Majhi said.

Odisha Law Minister Prithviraj Harichandan said DGP Y B Khurania is investigating the stampede incident, and stringent action against the guilty would be ensured.

Harichandan also said that the situation is now normal at the Shree Gundicha Temple, where devotees are offering prayers to the deities on chariots.

Majhi is currently chairing a meeting with his deputies to assess the stampede situation, an official said.

Health department sources said among those critically injured, one has been shifted to the SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack, while five others are in ICU.

The chariots of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra had on Saturday reached Shree Gundicha Temple, a day after the Rath Yatra began in Puri.

The temple is considered the aunt's place of the deities, which go there every year from the 12th-century Jagannath temple, situated at a distance of 2.6 km, as part of the rituals.

The return car journey, known as 'Bahuda Yatra', will held this year on July 5.

PTI