Puri: A stampede near the Gundicha temple in Puri in the early hours of Sunday claimed three lives and left several devotees injured, marring the Rath Yatra festivities.

The incident occurred around 4:00 AM when thousands had gathered near the chariots of Lord Jagannath and His siblings for darshan on Saradhabali.

According to eyewitnesses, a truck carrying wooden logs arrived at the spot, where more than 500 devotees were sitting on plastic mats as they were waiting to have a glimpse of the deities on the chariots after the conclusion of the pahuda ritual.

The situation turned chaotic when workers began unloading wooden logs from the truck, as the limited area became densely filled with people. This triggered panic among the devotees. In the sudden rush that followed, several people were trampled.

Many also alleged lack of adequate police deployment to control the crowd. “There were not enough police personnel to manage the gathering. The mishap could have been prevented,” a witness said.

On the other hand, Puri Collector Siddharth Shankar Swain said that a sudden rush of devotees occurred as soon as the pahuda of the deities ended. "Nine devotees complained of breathlessness and were immediately taken to the hospital. Unfortunately, three of them died, while the rest are currently stable," he said.

The Collector added that autopsies are being conducted, and the exact cause of death will be known after the post-mortem.

Expressing grief, Odisha Law Minister Prithviraj Harichandan said the state government would conduct a thorough probe into the incident. “Strict action will be taken after the investigation. The Chief Minister has been informed,” he added.

Director General of Police YB Khurania also reached Puri in the morning to personally assess the situation. He instructed senior police officials to take stock of the ground-level arrangements and ensure better crowd management for the rest of the Rath Yatra festivities.