Three dead, several injured in stampede during Jagannath temple Rath Yatra

BHUBANESWAR: Three people died tragically in a stampede during a Rath Yatra at the Jagannath temple in Puri. The accident took place near the Gundicha temple. Around ten people were seriously injured. The victims include two women and a 70-year-old man. The tragic incident took place at around 4:30 am in the Sharddhabali area. The injured were admitted to a nearby hospital.

The chariots of Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra are used in the journey to the Gundicha temple, which is three kilometres away from the Jagannath temple. A huge crowd gathered to pull the chariot of Lord Balabhadra, which caused a stampede.

The accident occurred when thousands of devotees pushed their way to have darshan of Lord Jagannath when the Rath Yatra reached its destination. The sudden rush of people near the temple gates created panic. Authorities had deployed around 10,000 personnel, including eight companies of the Central Armed Police Forces, in the area yesterday to control the devotees and ensure their safety.