One person tragically died due to suffocation in what seemed like a stampede during the Rath Yatra festival in Puri, Odisha. The incident occurred near Marichikund Square, where a rope barricade may have collapsed or individuals lost balance, leading to around 40 to 50 people falling on each other. This resulted in injuries to several devotees, with some sustaining serious harm.
According to reports, approximately 200 individuals have been hospitalized in Puri due to suffocation and injuries amidst the massive crowd and continuous rainfall during the festival. The annual Rath Yatra, a renowned event, commenced with the Pahandi Bije ritual earlier than scheduled. The divine deities were ceremoniously escorted from the Shree Jagannath Temple to their adorned chariots in a grand procession, accompanied by traditional musical instruments.
Priests recited Vedic hymns while Odissi artists performed captivating dances to welcome the deities to the Gundicha Temple for their nine-day stay. Despite the early start of the rituals, there was a delay of over two hours in their completion on the festival day.
