Puri Rath Yatra stampede: Odisha govt orders transfer of officials, two cops suspended, probe launched

The Odisha government has taken strict action after the tragic stampede near the Gundicha Temple in Puri. Chief Minister Mohan Majhi on Sunday directed the two top officials, District Collector Siddharth Shankar Swain and Superintendent of Police Vineet Agrawal, to be transferred immediately. Two top cops, DCP Bishnu Pati and Commandant Ajay Padhi, have also been suspended.

The government has ordered an administrative inquiry into the mishap, which will be headed by the Development Commissioner. The CM has also appointed the Khurda Collector Chanchal Rana as the new SP of Puri and STF DIG Pinak Mishra as the new Collector.

Three devotees killed, more than 50 injured 

The accident occurred early on Sunday, 29th June, around 4-5 AM, in the course of the annual Rath Yatra festival. Thousands of devotees had assembled close to the Gundicha Temple in Saradhabali to see the deities riding on their chariots when the stampede occurred.

STORY | 3 killed, 50 injured in stampede near Shree Gundicha Temple in Odisha's Puri

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VIDEO | Visuals from Puri district hospital where injured are being admitted. pic.twitter.com/0b9TLnBZUB

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) June 29, 2025

Three individuals, two of them women, were killed, and more than 50 were injured. Some of the injured were children, while many fainted or were injured in the stampede.

State law minister Harichandan said that the Director General of Police (DGP) of Odisha is investigating the stampede, adding that stringent action against those responsible will be ensured. Odisha DGP YB Khurania said an investigation has been initiated into the incident.

CM Majhi apologises, announces ₹25 lakh for victims’ families

Terming the incident as “unpardonable,” CM Mohan Majhi felt sorry and asked for apology from the devotees. “I apologize on behalf of all devotees of Lord Jagannath,” he said. He also condoled the families of the deceased and wished them strength during this hard time.

Puri stampede: Odisha CM Mohan Charan Majhi tweets, "Personally, my government and I seek forgiveness from all Jagannath devotees. We express our condolences…This negligence is unforgivable. An immediate investigation into the security lapses will be conducted, and I have… pic.twitter.com/HXBHUOYuOO

— ANI (@ANI) June 29, 2025

The government has declared ₹25 lakh ex gratia for the kin of the victims and assured severe action against whoever will be found guilty of negligence.

Senior Daitapati servitor (sevayat) of the Puri Jagannath Temple, Ramakrishna Das Mahapatra, also expressed his condolences for the victims and urged the administration to ensure proper arrangements for the safety of devotees.

Puri’s titular king, Gajapati Maharaja Divyasingha Deb, expressed shock and sadness over the stampede and offered his condolences to bereaved families. He also urged the Odisha government to carry out a prompt, comprehensive inquiry into the stampede.

Reason behind the stampede

The stampede started when two trucks transporting ritual articles entered the already congested place close to the temple. With over 1,500 devotees collected along a 3-km road, the unexpected motion of vehicles resulted in panic.

Individuals started shoving and pushing in panic, and several fell on top of one another. Some were injured because of suffocation, and others were trampled in the stampede. Witnesses stated that inadequate crowd control and the presence of vehicles exacerbated the situation.

One of the residents also said that although VIPs were given a special entry, ordinary worshippers were compelled to take the exit through a longer path, which led to even more congestion at a single point. Poor traffic management further aggravated the problem.

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