‘No one responded; Not even hospital staff’: Puri stampede exposes deadly system failure | VIDEO

Puri: Grief and anger gripped Puri on Sunday as eyewitnesses described scenes of panic and mismanagement during a stampede near Shree Gundicha Temple that left three devotees dead and several others injured during the Rath Yatra festivities.

A man who lost his wife in the incident expressed heartbreak and outrage. “When this incident happened, no one responded, neither the fire officials, nor the rescue team, nor the hospital staff. This is a pathetic incident that cannot be expressed,” he told the media, breaking down in grief.

Local resident Swadhin Kumar Panda, who was present near the temple late into the night, said poor planning and VIP protocols worsened the situation. “I was there near the temple till 2-3 am last night, but the management was not good. A new way was made for VIPs, and common people were asked to exit from a distance. People started exiting from the entrance itself, which increased the crowd,” he explained. He further alleged that unauthorised vehicles with special passes were allowed too close to the temple, adding to the congestion.

Panda also claimed that there were casualties during the Rath Yatra itself, but the administration failed to acknowledge them. “Many people died on the day of the Rath Yatra too, but the government and administration did not disclose it and said that there were no casualties. Today, three people have died - 2 women, one man. The Odisha administration is responsible for this. There was no police, administration there at night,” he added.

According to Puri District Collector Siddharth S Swain, the stampede occurred around 4 am when two trucks carrying ritual materials entered a heavily crowded area near the temple, causing panic.

State Law Minister Prithviraj Harichandan visited Puri and acknowledged the failure in crowd control. “It is an unfortunate incident...Three people have passed away because of suffocation in the huge gathering. Six to seven people are injured...The situation is now under control and the people are having darshan,” he said. On social media, he expressed condolences and promised the “best medical care” for the injured.

Former Chief Minister and Opposition leader Naveen Patnaik called the incident a “devastating failure” and criticised the government for its “glaring incompetence in ensuring a peaceful festival.” He added that the stampede, coming just a day after mismanagement during the Rath Yatra, 'exposes the administration’s inability to protect devotees.'

Top officials including DGP YB Khurania have reached the site. An official probe has been launched to analyse the exact causes of the stampede and identify lapses in security and crowd control.