Puri, June 29 (UNI) In a tragic incident during the Rath Yatra festivities, three devotees lost their lives and seven others were injured in a stampede-like situation in front of the chariots near the Gundicha temple at Saradhabali during the early hours of today.

This marks the first such stampede-related deaths recorded at the Gundicha temple in the annals of Puri Rath Yatra history.

In the past,devotees have died in stampede in the Puri Rath Yatra during 2008,2012 and 2015 but not never such stampede had occurred near the Gundicha temple, the nine day sojourn of the trinity of the Sri Jagannath temple

While the state and district administrations attributed the tragedy to an overwhelming crowd of devotees seeking darshan of the deities, Director General of Police (DGP) Y.B. Khurania, after inspecting the site, blamed the incident on devotees taking selfies and photos on their mobile phones.

The people of Odisha were shocked by the loss of three lives. The seven injured individuals are currently being treated at the District Headquarters Hospital.

According to eyewitnesses, a large number of devotees had gathered near the Gundicha temple. Every hour, hundreds more were arriving in Puri to witness the deities on their respective chariots. The situation remained peaceful until the darshan was closed around 12:40 a.m. with the traditional "Pahuda" ritual—covering the idols with curtains.

Many devotees waiting for the darshan at Gundicha temple were unaware of the closure and continued to wait near the chariots.

At around 4 a.m., the curtains were lifted, and the priests began the daily rituals of the deities, starting with Mangal Arati. Hearing the bells of the Arati, a large crowd rushed toward the chariots to witness the ceremony.

At the same time, two trucks entered the already-crowded area to unload ladder parts used for the Pahandi ritual, which helps move the deities into the temple.

With limited space for maneuvering, the trucks offloaded the ladders near the chariots. As the crowd surged, at least 15 devotees stumbled on the heap of ladders and were trampled.

Eyewitnesses reported the absence of senior or responsible officers at the scene. Only a few constables were present, and no ambulances or medical teams were available at the nearby first-aid post.

The husband of one of the deceased told the media he cried for help for over an hour before an ambulance finally arrived. By the time they reached the hospital, two individuals had already died, and the third passed away soon after.

An initial review of the events reveals several serious administrative lapses. According to the temple's ritual records, the Pahuda ritual was not observed on the night of June 27. However, on June 28, priests unexpectedly closed darshan, depriving devotees of the opportunity to see the deities. This led to an uncontrollable buildup of the crowd, revealing a clear lack of coordination between the priests and temple administration.

Continuing darshan without the Pahuda ritual could have helped manage the crowd better. As per established norms, the Pahuda can only be performed with the approval of the Chief Administrator.

In a controversial move, the administration barricaded the entire Saradhabali area—traditionally used by saints, sadhus, and pilgrims to rest—under the guise of beautifying the Gundicha temple. This forced many to take shelter near the temple front overnight, further contributing to the overcrowding.

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