The Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) criticized the state government following the death of a devotee in an alleged stampede during the annual Rath Yatra in Puri. OPCC President Bhakta Charan Das expressed sorrow over the incident and urged the government to enhance crowd management to prevent such tragedies in the future.
During the Rath Yatra procession, a devotee named Anil Das reportedly faced suffocation near Marichikote Square on the Grand Road. Despite efforts to rescue him, he collapsed and was pronounced dead at the Puri District Headquarters Hospital. The OPCC emphasized the need for a comprehensive review to address such incidents during the Rath Yatra.
Referring to a previous stampede during last year’s Rath Yatra, the OPCC president criticized the state government for alleged mismanagement, citing issues like the excessive issuance of cordon passes and the presence of unauthorized personnel in restricted areas. Additionally, he condemned the government for not adhering to certain traditional rituals, which he claimed had offended the sentiments of the local community.
The state government, however, refuted claims of a stampede during this year’s Rath Yatra but confirmed the unfortunate deaths of two devotees in Puri. According to official reports, several individuals fell ill during the festival and were promptly taken to hospitals for treatment. Tragically, one elderly male devotee succumbed to suffocation, while another devotee suffered a fatal cardiac arrest despite immediate medical attention.
