Jagannath Rath Yatra Turns Tragic As Stampede Leaves 3 Dead And Many Injured

A stampede occurred near Shree Gundicha Temple during the Rath Yatra in Puri, Odisha, early on Sunday. It resulted in the death of 3 people and left many others injured. Some of them are now in critical condition. Authorities have sent the victims’ bodies for autopsy to determine the exact cause of death. 

Stampede Near Gundicha Temple During Rath Yatra Claims 3 Lives 

I am deeply pained by the stampede during the Mahaprabhu Jagannath Rath Yatra, which claimed three lives and injured at least 50 people. This tragedy follows reports of 500 devotees being injured on Friday during the yatra.

My thoughts and prayers are with the families of the…

— Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) June 29, 2025

In a tragic turn of events, 3 people (including two women) passed away, and many others were found injured when a stampede occurred during the Rath Yatra in Puri, as reported by NDTV. The tragic incident took place when the three chariots carrying the idols of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Goddess Subhadra were near the Shree Gundicha Temple, which is about 3 km from the Jagannath Temple. President of the Indian National Congress, Mallikarjun Kharge, also confirmed this news on his official X account. 

The incident happened around 4:30 am on Sunday, when large crowds had gathered near the Gundicha Temple for darshan. As the crowd increased, people began to fall, and a stampede-like situation broke out, leading to the death of 3 people on the spot. The deceased have been identified as Premakanta Mohanty (80), Basanti Sahoo (36), and Prabhati Das (42), according to TOI.

Also Read: Jai Jagannath! PM Modi Wishes Good Health And Prosperity To All On The Occasion Of Rath Yatra 2025

Eyewitnesses said the situation worsened when two trucks carrying wooden logs tried to enter the already overcrowded area. The rush and the large number of people gathered at one place during the early hours created a dangerous situation for all devotees.

Injured Devotees In Critical Condition

As per NDTV, local media also reported that the police arrangements for crowd control were not adequate. Several of the injured are now in a critical condition. Puri Collector Siddharth Shankar Swain said that they have sent the victims’ bodies for autopsy to determine the exact cause of death. He added that while security measures were in place, the crowd went out of control, which led to the tragedy.

As per the report in HT, Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi apologised on behalf of the state government and offered his condolences. He said the negligence was unacceptable and assured strict action would be taken against those responsible. BJD Chief and former CM Naveen Patnaik described the situation as a ‘terrible mess’. He also stated that May Mahaprabhu Jagannath should forgive all those responsible for this tragedy during Rath Yatra 2025. 

Also Read: Digha Holds Its First-Ever Rath Yatra Inspired By Puri Tradition; City Sees A Spike In Hotel Rates

Indians celebrate Rath Yatra as a deeply spiritual festival every year. During the event, three grand chariots carrying the idols of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Goddess Subhadra are taken to the Shree Gundicha Temple. Here, they remain for a week before making their return journey to the Jagannath Temple. This festival draws massive crowds of devotees from across the country every year.

Cover Image Courtesy: Navniet Sekera/ X