Puri, Odisha – A tragic stampede occurred in the early hours of June 29 near the Shree Gundicha Temple during the annual Rath Yatra in Puri, leaving three devotees dead and around 50 injured. The victims included two women and a 78-year-old man. The incident took place around 4 a.m. at Saradhabali, a narrow stretch that was overcrowded with over 20,000 devotees, far exceeding its capacity.

Eyewitnesses blamed poor crowd management, inadequate police presence, and obstructions caused by parked trucks and scattered wooden logs, which led to chaos and people falling. Survivors also reported difficulty breathing and widespread panic as the crowd surged forward.

In response, Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi called the incident “unforgivable” and ordered a high-level inquiry. Several top officials, including the Puri SP, DCP, and Collector, have been suspended or transferred. The government has announced ₹25 lakh compensation for each deceased victim’s family.

With the Rath Yatra festivities set to continue until July 8, the incident has raised serious concerns about safety and crowd control at major religious gatherings in the country.