Bhubaneswar/Puri: Amid allegations of mismanagement during the Puri Rath Yatra that left two persons dead and several others ill following a crowd surge, Odisha Police Friday appealed to devotees against bringing infants, small children, elderly persons and patients to the festival.
DGP YB Khurania appealed while standing on the ‘Bada Danda’, the grand road through which the chariots roll from the 12th-century Shree Jagannath Temple to the Shree Gundicha Temple.
“Here is a very good festive mood in Puri and people in large numbers have assembled in the pilgrim town to seek blessings of the Lord. I appeal to people to abide by police advice. Devotees should desist from bringing toddlers, children, elderly and ill persons to such a huge crowd,” Khurania said through television channels.
“Please reconsider bringing children who are just six months, two years, or three years old. The crowd on the Bada Danda is extremely dense and intense. Their safety is a major concern,” the DGP said, seeking public cooperation.
Khurania also advised devotees not to remain stationary for long periods while walking through crowded areas near the chariots or elsewhere during the festival.
He said rotational movement systems had been put in place for smooth crowd circulation, but people often stayed at preferred viewing spots, blocking movement and creating risks.
Police said elaborate security arrangements had been put in place, with over 13,000 personnel deployed in Puri focusing on crowd management, traffic regulation and security.
The temple administration said around 10 to 12 lakh people gathered in Puri Thursday, while the chief minister’s office estimated the turnout at 8 to 9 lakh.
Two persons died and five others fell ill in a temporary crowd surge and uncomfortable weather conditions during the Rath Yatra celebrations in this rain-affected Odisha town on Thursday, according to the Chief Minister’s Office. The state government, however, denied reports that the fatalities were caused by a stampede.
Police said security arrangements included extensive CCTV coverage, AI-assisted cameras, drones, evacuation corridors, temporary medical facilities and LED screens for real-time information.
Despite the arrangements, two persons died during the Rath Yatra. In last year’s festival, three elderly persons died in a stampede in front of chariots near Shree Gundicha temple.
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi expressed grief over the deaths and assured support to the affected families, while stating that the festival otherwise proceeded peacefully with coordinated efforts.
Meanwhile, Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) chief administrator Arabinda Padhee said a one-way ‘darshan’ system would be followed near the chariots when they are parked at Shree Gundicha Temple Friday and Saturday.
The opposition Biju Janata Dal (BJD) blamed the state government for the deaths, alleging a lack of coordination during the festival.
“It was an incident of stampede in which two people died due to lack of coordination. We demand immediate compensation to the families of the deceased devotees,” the party said in a statement.
Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee president Bhakta Charan Das criticised the police advisory asking devotees not to bring elderly and ill persons to the festival.
“What are the police doing? There should be separate enclosures for elderly persons or people having health issues during Rath Yatra. It is not correct to tell people not to visit a festival due to the large congregation,” Das said.
BJP leader and government chief whip Saroj Pradhan rejected the opposition’s allegations and said the Rath Yatra was conducted smoothly despite heavy crowds and inclement weather.