Former Odisha Chief Minister and Biju Janata Dal (BJD) president Naveen Patnaik has sharply criticized the state government following a tragic stampede near the Shree Gundicha Temple during the Rath Yatra festivities, which claimed three lives and left over 50 injured.
In a strongly worded statement, Patnaik described the incident as a “devastating failure of governance” and accused the administration of “glaring incompetence” in ensuring the safety of devotees. “Today’s stampede, occurring just a day after the abysmal failure of crowd management during the Rath Yatra that left hundreds injured, exposes the government’s inability to conduct a peaceful festival,” he said.
The stampede occurred around 4 a.m. when two trucks carrying ritual materials entered a densely packed area near the chariots of Lord Jagannath and his siblings, triggering chaos among the gathered devotees. The deceased were identified as Basanti Sahu of Bolagarh, and Premakant Mohanty and Pravati Das from Balipatna.
Patnaik extended condolences to the bereaved families and prayed for the swift recovery of the injured. He also alleged that the initial response came from relatives of the victims, with no visible presence of government personnel to manage the surging crowd.
Calling the incident “unforgivable,” Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi expressed sorrow and apologized to devotees. He announced a high-level inquiry and promised “strict and exemplary action” against those found responsible for the lapses.
Patnaik urged the government to implement immediate corrective measures to ensure the smooth conduct of upcoming Rath Yatra rituals, including Adapa Bije, Bahuda, and Suna Besha. He emphasized that the administration must not hide behind religious sentiments to excuse operational failures.
