Puri Rathyatra Stampede: Big and shocking news is here. A significant incident took place during Lord Jagannath’s Rath Yatra in Puri, Odisha, on Thursday. Overcrowding at Marichikot Square caused a stampede, leading to the tragic suffocation deaths of two devotees.
In addition, over 150 individuals experiencing various health issues and the strain of the crowd have been admitted to Puri District Main Hospital. Reports indicate that a large number of devotees congregated near Marichikot Chowk around 2 p.m., which resulted in a stampede-like scenario. During this chaos, two devotees suddenly fell unconscious. They were rushed to the Puri District Main Hospital, where doctors pronounced them dead.
A devotee who appeared to have fainted was promptly attended to and taken for medical treatment amid the large gathering at the Rath Jatra 2026.
Extensive security and crowd management arrangements are in place to ensure the safety of devotees and the smooth conduct of the… pic.twitter.com/i4TYL0ha2F
“>July 16, 2026
The identities of the deceased have not yet been revealed. Authorities have initiated an investigation and increased security measures at the location. Meanwhile, more than 150 devotees are receiving treatment at the Puri District Main Hospital for heat-related issues, crowd pressure, and other health concerns during the Rath Yatra. A somber mood has enveloped Srikshetra Puri in the wake of this unfortunate event. The administration is calling on devotees to exercise caution and maintain composure in crowded spaces.
It is reported that Special Rescue Unit (SRU) teams immediately launched a rescue operation, extracting the affected devotees from the crowd and admitting them to Puri Medical College and Hospital for treatment. The local administration has deployed additional security and emergency medical teams to control the crowd on the Grand Road.
Rath Yatra 2026 begins
The world famous Jagannath Puri Rath Yatra began on Thursday. Lakhs of devotees gathered to witness the annual journey of Lord Jagannath, his elder brother Balabhadra and sister Subhadra from the famous 12th century temple to the Gundicha Temple. Amidst the sounds of bells, conch shells and cymbals, Chakraraja Sudarshan was first taken out of the main temple and placed on the ‘Darpadalan’ chariot of Goddess Subhadra. The idol of Goddess Subhadra was then placed on the chariot in the ‘Shunya Pahandi’ procession. Finally, as the idol of Lord Jagannath came out of the temple, devotees on the Grand Road chanted ‘Jai Jagannath’.