GUWAHATI: A tragic incident unfolded during the annual Jagannath Rath Yatra in Odisha's Puri on Thursday, July 16, with one devotee losing their life and more than 100 others falling ill amid an overwhelming rush of pilgrims.
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Officials said the deceased reportedly experienced breathing difficulties after getting caught in the densely packed crowd. The devotee was immediately shifted to the Puri District Headquarters Hospital, where doctors declared them dead.
The surge of devotees near the Singhadwara, the main entrance of the Jagannath Temple, led to several people fainting due to exhaustion and suffocation. Emergency responders, police personnel and medical teams quickly launched rescue operations, carrying affected devotees on stretchers and providing on-the-spot treatment before shifting many to nearby hospitals.
The grand chariot festival followed its traditional schedule, beginning with the ceremonial procession of Lord Sudarshan, followed by Lord Balabhadra, Devi Subhadra and Lord Jagannath. After the customary Chhera Pahanra ritual performed by Puri's Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingha Deb, devotees began pulling the three chariots towards the Gundicha Temple at around 2 pm.
The latest incident has once again brought attention to crowd management during the world-famous festival. Last year's Rath Yatra was also marked by tragedy when a stampede-like situation near the Gundicha Temple claimed three lives and left more than 50 devotees injured after thousands gathered for early morning rituals.