Carry out prompt, comprehensive inquiry into stampede: Puri's titular king to Odisha govt

Puri: Puri's titular king Gajapati Maharaja Divyasingha Deb on Sunday expressed shock over the stampede during the famed Rath Yatra and appealed to the Odisha government to immediately carry out a comprehensive inquiry into the incident.

The titular king, who is also the chairman of the Shree Jagannath Temple Managing Committee (SJTMC), urged the state government to take proper and immediate steps to prevent the recurrence of any such incident.

"Shree Gajapati Maharaja has appealed to the state government to carry out a prompt and comprehensive inquiry regarding this most unfortunate incident and to take proper and immediate steps to prevent the recurrence of such incidents," his office said in a statement.

Deb said he was "shocked and deeply saddened to learn about the stampede last night near Shree Gundicha Temple in which three devotees lost their lives and many others were injured".

He also offered prayers for the departed souls and conveyed his deep condolences to the members of the bereaved families.