Puri Rath Yatra Stampede 2025: A divine festive morning turned horrific when a stampede broke out near the Sri Gundicha Temple in Puri, Odisha on Sunday, June 29, during the iconic Rath Yatra, killing at least three devotees and injuring over 50 others. Of these, 5-6 people are in a very critical condition.
This incident occurred when three chariots carrying idols of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Goddess Shubhdra were passing by the Sri Gundicha Temple, located about three kilometers from the Jagannath Temple, from where the yatra began.
A large crowd gathered to witness the Rath Yatra.
The holy chariots were passing by the Sri Gundicha Temple around 4:30 a.m. on Sunday. A large crowd had gathered for darshan. As soon as the chariot approached, the crowd began to swell rapidly. Some people fell, and a stampede ensued. Three people died on the spot in this incident. The deceased are said to have been residents of Odisha and had come to Puri for the Rath Yatra.
“It was chaos. I saw people falling right in front of me, but there was no way to help. Everyone was pushing,” recounted Ramesh Das, an eyewitness and regular visitor to the Rath Yatra for over 20 years.
Of the 50+ injured, at least six are in critical condition, currently receiving intensive medical care at the Puri District Headquarters Hospital.
A large crowd pulls the sacred chariot.
During the Rath Yatra, a large crowd of devotees pulls three large chariots carrying the idols of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Goddess Shubhdra. The sacred chariots are taken to the Gundicha temple. The three deities spend a week there before returning to the Jagannath temple.
A political controversy erupted over the delay in the start of the Rath Yatra.
This time, a political controversy erupted over the delay in the start of the Rath Yatra. BJD leader and former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik called it a terrible disaster. He said, "We can only pray. May Mahaprabhu Jagannath forgive all those responsible for the terrible disaster that occurred during this divine festival this year." Odisha Law Minister Prithviraj Harichandan did not name Mr. Patnaik, but criticized the BJD for its political statements. He stated, “In the past, the BJD government has made mistakes and insulted Lord Jagannath.”
Tweet by former Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik
Former Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik tweeted, “I offer my sincere condolences to the families of the three devotees who lost their lives in the tragic stampede in Saradhabali Puri. I pray to Mahaprabhu Jagannath for the speedy recovery of the devotees injured in this disastrous incident. Today’s stampede, just a day after the catastrophic crowd management failure during the Rath Yatra, in which hundreds were injured, highlights the government’s apparent inability to ensure a peaceful festival for devotees.”