One dead, several people injured as massive crowd triggers stampede at Puri Jagannath Rath Yatra

PURI: A stampede during the famous Puri Jagannath Rath Yatra in Odisha has claimed the life of a 60-year-old man and left several others injured. More than 120 people who fell ill during the massive gathering were admitted to hospitals. The victim died while undergoing treatment, officials said.

The incident took place on Thursday on Puri's Grand Road, where lakhs of devotees had gathered to witness the annual Rath Yatra. According to initial reports, the huge crowd caused severe congestion, leaving many devotees struggling to breathe.

Emergency response teams quickly reached the spot and shifted those who experienced breathing difficulties to Puri Medical College Hospital. One devotee who was found unconscious was rushed to the district hospital, where doctors later confirmed his death. Following the incident, authorities imposed crowd control measures on Grand Road to prevent any further mishaps. Officials are monitoring the situation closely as thousands of devotees continue to take part in the festival.

The world-famous Rath Yatra began on Thursday morning at the Jagannath Temple. Every year, lakhs of devotees visit Puri to witness the grand chariot procession of Lord Jagannath, his elder brother Lord Balabhadra, and sister Goddess Subhadra from the Jagannath Temple to the Gundicha Temple. As the idol of Lord Jagannath was brought out of the temple, devotees filled Grand Road chanting "Jai Jagannath." Moments later, the massive crowd became difficult to control, leading to the tragic incident.