NEW DELHI, June 27: More than 500 devotees were injured during the annual Rath Yatra festival in Puri in Odisha, after massive crowds surged forward to pull the chariot of Lord Balabhadra on Friday. At least eight of the injured are reported to be critical.
The incident occurred during the ceremonial pulling of the Taladhwaja chariot, one of the three grand chariots drawn as part of the centuries-old tradition.
The festival, which draws lakhs of devotees to the coastal pilgrim town, marks the journey of Lord Jagannath, along with his siblings Lord Balabhadra and Goddess Subhadra, from the Jagannath Temple to the Gundicha Temple, about 2.5 kilometres away. The deities reside at the Gundicha Temple for a week before returning to the original temple in a similar procession called “Ulta Rath Yatra” (Reverse Rath Yatra).
As eager devotees rushed to grab the sacred ropes of the Taladhwaja chariot, overcrowding led to a chaotic stampede-like situation, resulting in injuries to hundreds. While most suffered minor injuries, several were hospitalized and at least eight are reported to be in critical condition.
To manage the immense crowd and ensure security, nearly 10,000 personnel were deployed across the city, including eight companies of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF).
(Manas Dasgupta)
