A stampede during the Jagannath Rath Yatra in Puri resulted in a tragic loss of life, with at least three fatalities and numerous injuries. The incident occurred on Sunday morning at Saradhabali, near the Gundicha Temple. The deceased have been identified as Prabhati Das, Basanti Sahu, and Premakanta Mohanty. The stampede reportedly began around 4:20 am as a large congregation of devotees gathered for darshan. According to eyewitness accounts, the entry of two trucks carrying ‘charamala’ into the densely packed area caused panic and a sudden surge of people. Prior to this event, health officials had treated around 750 devotees for crowd-related issues. The Rath Yatra, which had commenced on Friday, continued, with devotees participating on the third day.
