Puri: A young woman died of 'suffocation' after having darshan of Lord Jagannath and Holy siblings on Suna Besha in Puri yesterday.

The deceased devotee has been identified as Sanghamitra Barik (22), daughter of Sharat Chandra Barik from Salipur area in Cuttack district. She was residing in Bhubaneswar.

According to reports, the young woman had been to Puri for Suna Besha. While returning to her relative's home in the pilgrim town after having darshan of deities adorned with gold ornaments atop chariots in the evening, she suddenly fell sick. Her relatives immediately took her to Puri DHH where the doctors declared her dead.

The family of deceased woman claimed that she died due to suffocation caused by extreme crowd during Suna Besha in front of the Jagannath Temple.

However, the police denied it. It said that the exact cause of death will be revealed after post-mortem.