<p>Puri: At least three persons were killed and around 50 others injured in a stampede that took place near Shree Gundicha Temple in Odisha’s Puri on Sunday morning, a senior official said.</p><p>The incident took place around 4 am when hundreds of devotees gathered near the temple to witness Rath Yatra festivities, Puri District Collector Siddharth S Swain said.</p>. <p>Chaos ensued after two trucks carrying materials for rituals reportedly entered the crowded spot near the chariots of Lord Jagannath and his sibling deities, officials said.</p><p>The injured have been admitted to a nearby hospital, and the condition of six people is critical, he said.</p><p>The deceased were identified as Basanti Sahu from Bolagarh, and Premakant Mohanty and Pravati Das from Balipatna.</p>.Aussie prof bats for 'Swiss Cheese Model' to prevent stampedes . <p>The bodies have been sent for postmortem and an investigation is underway.</p><p>DGP Y B Khurania and senior government officials are at the spot to take stock of the situation.</p><p>Meanwhile, Odisha Law Minister Prithviraj Harichandan said he has apprised Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi about the incident.</p><p>“We will take all the necessary action,” Harichandan said.</p><p>The chariots of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra had on Saturday reached Shree Gundicha Temple, a day after the Rath Yatra began in Puri.</p><p>The temple is considered the aunt's place of the deities, which go there every year from the 12th-century Jagannath temple, situated at a distance of 2.6 km, as part of the rituals.</p><p>The return car journey, known as 'Bahuda Yatra', will held this year on 5 July.</p> .<p><strong>Patnaik slams BJP's 'blatant callousness'</strong></p><p>Taking to X, BJD supremo and former CM of Odisha Naveen Patnaik <a href="https://x.com/Naveen_Odisha/status/1939185102250279385" rel="nofollow">said</a> "I extend my heartfelt condolences to the families of the three devotees who have lost their lives in the tragic stampede at Saradhabali, #Puri and I pray to Mahaprabhu Jagannatha for the swift recovery of the devotees injured in this devastating incident.</p><p>Today’s stampede, occurring just a day after the abysmal failure of crowd management during the #RathYatra that left hundreds injured, exposes the government’s glaring incompetence in ensuring a peaceful festival for devotees.</p><p>Eyewitnesses report that the initial response to this horrific tragedy came from the devotees’ relatives, with no government machinery present to manage the surging crowds, highlighting a shocking lapse in duty.</p><p>The inordinate delay in pulling the Nandighosha chariot on Rath Yatra day was conveniently attributed to "Mahaprabhu’s wish", a shocking excuse that masks the administration’s complete abdication of responsibility.</p><p>While I refrain from accusing the government of criminal negligence, their blatant callousness has undeniably contributed to this tragedy.</p><p>I urge the government to implement urgent corrective measures to ensure the smooth conduct of Adapa Bije, Bahuda, Suna Besha, and other key #RathYatra rituals."</p><p><strong>Majhi seeks forgiveness </strong></p><p>Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi sought forgiveness from devotees of Lord Jagannath for the stampede near a temple in Puri, and tendered an apology on behalf of his government for the incident that left at least three people dead.</p><p>Around 50 others were also injured in the stampede near Shree Gundicha Temple in the early hours of Sunday, officials said.</p><p>“I and my government seek forgiveness from all Jagannath devotees. We express our condolences to the families of devotees who lost their lives... pray to Mahaprabhu Jagannath to grant them the strength to bear this profound sorrow,” Majhi said in a <a href="https://x.com/MohanMOdisha/status/1939199898613883245" rel="nofollow">post</a> on X.</p><p>He also said that security lapses behind the incident will be probed and those found guilty would face stringent action.</p><p>“This negligence is unpardonable. An immediate investigation into the security lapses will be conducted, and I have directed that necessary steps be taken to initiate exemplary action against those responsible,” Majhi said.</p><p>The incident took place around 4 am when hundreds of devotees gathered near the temple to witness Rath Yatra festivities, the officials said.</p><p>The injured have been admitted to a nearby hospital, and the condition of six people is critical, they said.</p>
<p>Puri: At least three persons were killed and around 50 others injured in a stampede that took place near Shree Gundicha Temple in Odisha’s Puri on Sunday morning, a senior official said.</p><p>The incident took place around 4 am when hundreds of devotees gathered near the temple to witness Rath Yatra festivities, Puri District Collector Siddharth S Swain said.</p>. <p>Chaos ensued after two trucks carrying materials for rituals reportedly entered the crowded spot near the chariots of Lord Jagannath and his sibling deities, officials said.</p><p>The injured have been admitted to a nearby hospital, and the condition of six people is critical, he said.</p><p>The deceased were identified as Basanti Sahu from Bolagarh, and Premakant Mohanty and Pravati Das from Balipatna.</p>.Aussie prof bats for 'Swiss Cheese Model' to prevent stampedes . <p>The bodies have been sent for postmortem and an investigation is underway.</p><p>DGP Y B Khurania and senior government officials are at the spot to take stock of the situation.</p><p>Meanwhile, Odisha Law Minister Prithviraj Harichandan said he has apprised Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi about the incident.</p><p>“We will take all the necessary action,” Harichandan said.</p><p>The chariots of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra had on Saturday reached Shree Gundicha Temple, a day after the Rath Yatra began in Puri.</p><p>The temple is considered the aunt's place of the deities, which go there every year from the 12th-century Jagannath temple, situated at a distance of 2.6 km, as part of the rituals.</p><p>The return car journey, known as 'Bahuda Yatra', will held this year on 5 July.</p> .<p><strong>Patnaik slams BJP's 'blatant callousness'</strong></p><p>Taking to X, BJD supremo and former CM of Odisha Naveen Patnaik <a href="https://x.com/Naveen_Odisha/status/1939185102250279385" rel="nofollow">said</a> "I extend my heartfelt condolences to the families of the three devotees who have lost their lives in the tragic stampede at Saradhabali, #Puri and I pray to Mahaprabhu Jagannatha for the swift recovery of the devotees injured in this devastating incident.</p><p>Today’s stampede, occurring just a day after the abysmal failure of crowd management during the #RathYatra that left hundreds injured, exposes the government’s glaring incompetence in ensuring a peaceful festival for devotees.</p><p>Eyewitnesses report that the initial response to this horrific tragedy came from the devotees’ relatives, with no government machinery present to manage the surging crowds, highlighting a shocking lapse in duty.</p><p>The inordinate delay in pulling the Nandighosha chariot on Rath Yatra day was conveniently attributed to "Mahaprabhu’s wish", a shocking excuse that masks the administration’s complete abdication of responsibility.</p><p>While I refrain from accusing the government of criminal negligence, their blatant callousness has undeniably contributed to this tragedy.</p><p>I urge the government to implement urgent corrective measures to ensure the smooth conduct of Adapa Bije, Bahuda, Suna Besha, and other key #RathYatra rituals."</p><p><strong>Majhi seeks forgiveness </strong></p><p>Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi sought forgiveness from devotees of Lord Jagannath for the stampede near a temple in Puri, and tendered an apology on behalf of his government for the incident that left at least three people dead.</p><p>Around 50 others were also injured in the stampede near Shree Gundicha Temple in the early hours of Sunday, officials said.</p><p>“I and my government seek forgiveness from all Jagannath devotees. We express our condolences to the families of devotees who lost their lives... pray to Mahaprabhu Jagannath to grant them the strength to bear this profound sorrow,” Majhi said in a <a href="https://x.com/MohanMOdisha/status/1939199898613883245" rel="nofollow">post</a> on X.</p><p>He also said that security lapses behind the incident will be probed and those found guilty would face stringent action.</p><p>“This negligence is unpardonable. An immediate investigation into the security lapses will be conducted, and I have directed that necessary steps be taken to initiate exemplary action against those responsible,” Majhi said.</p><p>The incident took place around 4 am when hundreds of devotees gathered near the temple to witness Rath Yatra festivities, the officials said.</p><p>The injured have been admitted to a nearby hospital, and the condition of six people is critical, they said.</p>