Two dead, 100 hospitalized at massive Rath Yatra Chariot Festival in India

Two devotees died and more than 100 others reportedly fell ill during the annual Jagannath Rath Yatra in the eastern Indian city of Puri on Thursday, as hundreds of thousands of pilgrims gathered for one of Hinduism’s largest religious festivals.

Authorities said there was no stampede during the event, although a temporary crowd surge near the Jagannath Temple led to several devotees requiring medical attention.

According to official sources, seven devotees became unwell during the crowd surge and were immediately evacuated to hospital. One male devotee aged over 60 later died. Medical authorities are investigating the exact cause of his death.

In a separate incident that officials described as unrelated to the crowd surge, a 35-year-old man suffered a cardiac arrest and died despite receiving medical treatment.

Earlier reports and local accounts claimed that more than 100 devotees had fainted or fallen ill amid the heavy rush of pilgrims. Officials acknowledged that a large number of devotees required medical assistance but maintained that the overall situation remained under control.

Massive crowds gather despite heavy rain

The Rath Yatra, one of Hinduism’s most significant festivals, began on Thursday and is expected to attract around three million visitors from India and abroad during its nine-day duration.

Despite persistent rain and adverse weather conditions, authorities estimated that between 800,000 and 900,000 devotees had arrived in Puri on the opening day of the festival.

The event marks the annual journey of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Goddess Subhadra from the 12th-century Jagannath Temple to the Gundicha Temple.

Following centuries-old rituals, Lord Sudarshan was brought out first, followed by Lord Balabhadra, Goddess Subhadra and Lord Jagannath in the traditional Pahandi procession.

After ceremonial rites, including the Chhera Pahanra ritual performed by Puri's Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingha Deb, devotees began pulling the three giant wooden chariots towards the Gundicha Temple at around 2 p.m.

The return procession, known as the Bahuda Yatra, is scheduled for 24 July.

Emergency teams respond to crowd surge

The incident occurred as large crowds lined Puri’s Grand Road, locally known as Badadanda, to witness the procession.

Emergency rescue teams and security personnel rushed to the affected area near the Singhadwara, the main entrance of the Jagannath Temple, after the crowd swelled. Several devotees were evacuated on stretchers and given immediate medical assistance.

Officials said the large number of pilgrims, combined with continuous rainfall, contributed to cases of fatigue, dehydration, breathing difficulties and other health-related problems.

A senior officer said injured devotees and those experiencing medical distress were quickly transported to hospitals for treatment.

“Considering the unprecedented gathering of devotees and the continuous rainfall, instances of fatigue, dehydration, suffocation and minor health-related discomfort were reported during the course of the day. The injured were immediately evacuated by the deployed personnel and shifted to the hospital without delay,” the officer said.

Authorities deny stampede reports

State authorities rejected reports that a stampede had occurred during the festival.

“There has been no stampede in Puri. A temporary crowd surge resulted in seven devotees feeling unwell. They were immediately attended to by the authorities and shifted to the hospital for prompt medical care,” official sources said.

“The overall situation in Puri is normal. Adequate crowd management measures are in place, and devotees are requested to remain calm, follow the directions of the police and administration, and avoid spreading or believing unverified information,” the sources added.

Ahead of the festival, the Odisha government deployed nearly 12,000 police personnel, 19 senior Indian Police Service (IPS) officers and more than 100 senior administrative officials to oversee security and crowd management.

Authorities said coordination among police, administrative agencies, volunteers and temple servitors had been strengthened to manage the expected influx of pilgrims.

Former chief minister expresses condolences

Former Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik expressed sadness over the deaths in a post on social media platform X.

He said he was deeply saddened by the loss of devotees during the Rath Yatra and offered condolences to the families of those who died. He also wished a swift recovery for those injured and called on the state government to ensure proper crowd management and devotee safety.

Festival resumes after delay

The chariot-pulling ceremony was delayed and could not be completed on Thursday.

Arvind Padhee, Chief Administrator of the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA), said the procession would resume at 9.30 a.m. local time on Friday.

Last year's festival saw fatal stampede

The 2025 Jagannath Rath Yatra was marred by a fatal stampede near the Gundicha Temple in Puri.

Three devotees were killed and more than 50 others were injured after chaos broke out in the early hours of the morning as thousands of pilgrims gathered for religious rituals.

According to authorities, the incident occurred when two ritual vehicles entered an already congested area, triggering panic among devotees and leading to a crush in the crowd.