Three devotees, including two women, lost their lives and several others were injured in a stampede, which took place around chariots in Puri in the wee hours of Sunday.

The deceased have been identified as Basanti Sahu of Bolagarh and Premakant Mohanty, and Pravati Das of Balipatna.

Also Read: Rath Yatra: ‘Pahandi’ ritual begins at Puri’s Jagannath temple

Every year, the coastal town of Puri in Odisha comes alive with the Rath Yatra, a centuries-old chariot festival of Lord Balabhadra, Lord Jagannath, and Devi Subhadra. The sibling deities, installed in majestic wooden chariots, are ceremonially pulled by devotees from the 12th-century Shree Jagannath Temple to the Gundicha Temple—considered their aunt’s abode.

Lakhs of devotees gather along the Grand Road (Bada Danda) to witness the spectacle. The deities remain at Gundicha Temple for seven days, where they are worshipped before returning to the main temple. Darshan of the deities on the chariots is considered especially auspicious.

This year, however, the Rath Yatra held on Friday (June 27) was marred by mismanagement. The three chariots could not complete their journey to Gundicha Temple by sunset, as required by tradition. After sunset, pulling of the chariots was halted and resumed only the following morning. By Saturday, the chariots were brought near the Gundicha Temple but the deities remained on them.

Over the past few years, to avoid the daytime crowd, many devotees have started arriving at night for darshan of the deities on the chariots. This year, too, thousands gathered during the night. However, the situation turned chaotic when darshan was temporarily stopped due to the Pahada ritual (when the deities are put to rest). Once the Pahada was lifted, devotees surged forward, causing severe congestion.

The close placement of the chariots further aggravated the situation, ultimately leading to a stampede. The incident took place around 4 a.m.

“We have received information about three deaths. The condition of six injured persons is stated to be stable,” said Puri District Collector Siddharth Shankar Swain on Sunday.

I extend my heartfelt condolences to the families of the three devotees who have lost their lives in the tragic stampede at Saradhabali, #Puri and I pray to Mahaprabhu Jagannatha for the swift recovery of the devotees injured in this devastating incident.

Today’s stampede,… — Naveen Patnaik (@Naveen_Odisha) June 29, 2025

Relatives of the victims and several devotees alleged a complete absence of police personnel during the night, which they said contributed to the tragedy. However, Puri Superintendent of Police Vinit Agrawal maintained that adequate police deployment had been made around the chariots.

“I extend my heartfelt condolences to the families of the three devotees who have lost their lives in the tragic stampede at Saradhabali, Puri and I pray to Mahaprabhu Jagannatha for the swift recovery of the devotees injured in this devastating incident,” said former Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik in message posted social media site ‘X’.

Mr. Patnaik said, “Today’s stampede, occurring just a day after the abysmal failure of crowd management during the Rath Yatra that left hundreds injured, exposes the government’s glaring incompetence in ensuring a peaceful festival for devotees.”

“Eyewitnesses report that the initial response to this horrific tragedy came from the devotees’ relatives, with no government machinery present to manage the surging crowds, highlighting a shocking lapse in duty,” he pointed out.

Former CM said, “the inordinate delay in pulling the Nandighosha chariot on Rath Yatra day was conveniently attributed to ‘Mahaprabhu’s wish’, a shocking excuse that masks the administration’s complete abdication of responsibility,” said Mr. Patnaik in sharp criticism of Mohan Majhi Government.

He said, “while I refrain from accusing the government of criminal negligence, their blatant callousness has undeniably contributed to this tragedy.”

There were allegations about BJP ministers misusing their power to facilitate entry of their near and dear ones and supporters to inner cordon of chariots, causing further chaos.