A crowd rush occurred on the Grand Road (Bada Danda) during the Jagannath Rath Yatra in Odisha’s Puri on Thursday, leaving at least 200 devotees with breathing difficulties as massive crowds gathered for the annual festival.
Rescue teams quickly reached the spot and shifted the affected pilgrims to hospital. Authorities also strengthened crowd control and emergency measures as lakhs of devotees continued to participate in the procession.
Hundreds Fall Ill After Crowd Rush
Officials said the crowd rush happened on the Grand Road, where thousands of devotees had gathered to witness and pull the chariots of Lord Jagannath and his siblings.
Members of the Special Rescue Unit (SRU) immediately launched rescue operations. They evacuated around 200 devotees who complained of breathing problems and took them to Puri Medical for treatment.
According to News18, sources claimed that one person was feared dead. However, officials had not confirmed any death at the time this report was filed. Authorities said they were closely monitoring the situation and taking all necessary steps to ensure the safety of devotees.
Earlier Medical Emergency Reported
Earlier in the day, another devotee who appeared to have fainted was taken for medical treatment as huge crowds gathered for the festival. Officials had already deployed emergency medical teams across the city to handle health-related incidents during the event.
Massive Security Arrangements in Place
The Odisha government had made extensive security arrangements to manage the heavy rush of pilgrims. Officials increased crowd management efforts after the incident and continued monitoring movement along the Grand Road. Despite the crowd rush, the Rath Yatra continued under tight security.
Chariot Pulling Continues Amid Devotional Fervour
Devotees continued pulling the three chariots while chanting "Jai Jagannath." The procession began with Lord Balabhadra’s Taladwaja chariot, followed by Devi Subhadra’s Darpadalan chariot. Lord Jagannath’s Nandighosh chariot followed later.
The three chariots are travelling about 2.6 kilometres from the 12th-century Jagannath Temple to the Shree Gundicha Temple, which devotees consider the birthplace of the sibling deities.
Traditional Rituals Mark the Festival
The chariot procession started after the traditional Chhera Pahanra ritual, during which Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingha Deb ceremonially swept the chariots. Puri Shankaracharya Swami Nischalananda Saraswati also visited the festival before the procession began.
Thousands of devotees witnessed the rituals while chanting "Hari Bol," beating cymbals and blowing trumpets and conch shells after the rain eased. Earlier, priests carried the idols to the chariots through the traditional Pahandi procession.
Temple officials said Shree Sudarshan boarded the chariot first, followed by Devi Subhadra, Lord Balabhadra and Lord Jagannath. Pandit Suryanaray Rathsharma explained that Shree Sudarshan is the divine wheel weapon of Lord Vishnu, who is worshipped as Lord Jagannath in Puri.
Rain Fails to Dampen Celebrations
Heavy rainfall did not reduce the enthusiasm of devotees.
Many pilgrims danced on the Grand Road and continued celebrating despite wet weather.
According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), Puri received 233 mm of rainfall since Tuesday. The weather department said the town is likely to receive light to moderate rainfall during the day.
Administration Takes Steps to Prevent Waterlogging
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi reviewed preparations before the festival and directed officials to prioritise the safety and convenience of devotees.
After waterlogging emerged as a concern, he instructed the district administration, municipal authorities and other departments to remain on high alert and remove accumulated rainwater quickly.
Special arrangements were also made to drain water from the Grand Road to ensure the smooth movement of the chariots.
Thousands of Security Personnel Deployed
Odisha Director General of Police Y B Khurania said authorities had deployed nearly 13,000 police personnel and 19 IPS officers across Puri for the festival. The state also positioned 15 companies of the Central Armed Police Forces, including the CRPF, BSF, RAF and National Security units, at key locations.
Officials installed 473 AI-powered CCTV cameras linked to drone-jamming systems to monitor the Grand Road and surrounding areas through two command-and-control centres.
Authorities also launched joint patrols involving the Indian Navy, Indian Coast Guard and Odisha Police Maritime Station. Quick Response Teams remained on standby to handle emergencies throughout the festival.