The annual Jagannath Rath Yatra in Odisha’s Puri turned tragic on Thursday after a devotee lost his life during a sudden crowd surge along the Grand Road, where lakhs of pilgrims had gathered to witness the chariot procession of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra.
According to preliminary information, the devotee collapsed after being caught in the heavy rush of people. Rescue personnel immediately shifted him to the Puri District Headquarters Hospital in critical condition. However, doctors declared him dead on arrival.
The incident briefly created panic among devotees as authorities and emergency teams rushed to the spot to control the crowd and prevent further mishaps.
Officials said the exact reason behind the death is being investigated, while the identity of the deceased has not yet been officially disclosed.
Apart from the fatality, at least 52 devotees reportedly suffered breathing difficulties due to severe congestion along the procession route. The large gathering and continuous movement of pilgrims led to several cases of suffocation during the festival.
Special Rescue Unit (SRU) teams, along with emergency response personnel, quickly launched rescue operations and evacuated all affected devotees. They were given immediate medical attention and first aid, following which the situation was brought under control.
The district administration said crowd management measures were strengthened after the incident to ensure the smooth continuation of the Rath Yatra. Authorities are now examining the circumstances that led to the crowd rush while continuing to monitor the movement of devotees throughout the festival.
