Post News Network
Puri: The Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) Wednesday paid Rs 5 lakh insurance money to the kin of each devotee who had died during stampede-related mishaps during Nabakalebara rath yatra this year.
Sesh Boral, husband of victim Nirmala Boral of Majhiakhand under Saranakula police limits in Nayagarh district, was handed over the compensation. Nirmala had died in a stampede at Marichikot Square during the Nabakalebara rath yatra. Similarly, the temple administration paid Rs 2 lakh compensation to Sukanti Rout, wife of Sunanda Chandra Rout of Kendukhunta near Ramchandrapur in Keonjhar district. Sunanda had drowned while taking a holy dip in the sea the same day. The compensation money was given through bank cheques.
Speaking to mediapersons, temple chief administrator Suresh Mahapatra said, “We had announced an insurance coverage of Rs 5 lakh for any unnatural death in the Puri municipality area within 15 days during the rath yatra this year. We had signed an agreement with the New India Insurance Company to insure the lives of the devotees visiting the city during rath yatra and had paid Rs 9 lakh towards the premium of the insurance. The insurance company has paid the compensation money to the next of kin of the deceased persons.”
Apart from the two mishaps, two other persons also died during the grand festival this year. Sushila Samantaray (70), wife of Daitari Samantray of Barapada village in Kendrapada had died in a stampede near Market Square on Narendrakona road during pulling of the chariots. Similarly, another devotee had died after falling off a running train during the rath yatra. However, the relatives of the deceased were not given compensation as they had not claimed the insurance money, sources said.