Puri Rath Yatra 2025: 2 devotees die amid 12 lakh crowd; Odisha CM mourns
Synopsis
Two devotees died during Puri's Rath Yatra as 12 lakh pilgrims packed the holy town — one from suffocation in the crowd, another from cardiac arrest. The Odisha government denied a stampede, but opposition parties have already moved to hold the administration accountable. The chariots did not complete their 3-km journey on Thursday and will resume Friday.
Key Takeaways
Two devotees died during the Puri Rath Yatra on 16 July 2025 — one from crowd-related suffocation, one from cardiac arrest.
The holy town recorded a footfall of approximately 12 lakh devotees during the festival.
Odisha CM Mohan Charan Majhi expressed condolences and directed the administration to ensure proper medical care for ailing pilgrims.
The state government denied allegations of a stampede, stating the situation remained normal throughout.
Opposition parties BJD and Congress criticised the government over the deaths.
The chariots did not reach the Gundicha Temple on Thursday; the procession is set to resume on Friday morning .
Two devotees died during the annual Puri Rath Yatra on Thursday, 16 July, as the holy town recorded a footfall of approximately 12 lakh pilgrims for the procession of Mahaprabhu Shree Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Devi Subhadra. Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi expressed deep grief over the deaths and directed the administration to ensure all ailing devotees receive the best possible medical care.
How the Deaths Occurred
According to the official X handle of the Chief Minister's Office (CMO), one elderly devotee passed away while undergoing treatment after experiencing suffocation due to the heavy crowd. A second devotee died separately following a cardiac arrest, also while under medical care. The two incidents were unrelated to each other.
Chief Minister Majhi conveyed heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and prayed for the eternal peace of the departed souls. He also wished a speedy recovery to other devotees who were hospitalised during the festival.
Government's Response and Stampede Denial
The state government, in an earlier statement, denied allegations of a stampede during the Rath Yatra, asserting that the situation remained normal throughout the festival and that all essential services functioned effectively. Majhi stated that the situation in Puri is 'currently completely normal and in order.'
The administration took immediate steps to provide medical assistance to devotees who fell ill, admitting them to hospitals. The Chief Minister also expressed gratitude to the servitors and thanked the lakhs of devotees for their patience, discipline, and cooperation, which he credited for the largely peaceful celebration.
Opposition Criticism
Reacting to the deaths, the opposition Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and the Indian National Congress (Congress) criticised the state government over its handling of the festival. The parties did not elaborate on specific lapses in public statements, but their criticism points to longstanding concerns about crowd management at one of India's largest religious gatherings.
This is not the first time crowd-related health incidents have been reported at the Puri Rath Yatra, which routinely draws millions of devotees from across India and abroad. The scale of the event — spanning a 3-km route from the 12th-century Jagannath Temple to the Gundicha Temple — presents persistent logistical challenges for the administration.
Chariot Procession to Resume Friday
The chariots of the three deities did not reach their destination, the Gundicha Temple, by the end of Thursday. Devotees are set to resume pulling the chariots on Friday morning to complete the final leg of the approximately 3-km journey. The State Government reiterated its commitment to serving devotees with dedication and to ensuring their safety, security, and well-being through the remainder of the festival.
Point of View
One from cardiac arrest — are individually tragic but collectively symptomatic of a structural problem: crowd management at India's largest religious gatherings remains reactive rather than preventive. The government's immediate denial of a stampede, before any independent inquiry, follows a familiar script. With 12 lakh people on a 3-km corridor, the margin for error is near zero. Opposition criticism is predictable, but the harder question — whether Odisha has the medical infrastructure and crowd-control protocols to match the scale of the Rath Yatra — deserves a serious answer from the administration, not just assurances that 'the situation is normal.'
NationPress
17 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened during the Puri Rath Yatra on 16 July 2025?
Two devotees died during the Puri Rath Yatra on 16 July 2025 — one elderly pilgrim succumbed to suffocation caused by the heavy crowd, and a second died following a cardiac arrest, both while under medical treatment. The festival drew approximately 12 lakh devotees to the holy town of Puri.
Did a stampede occur at the Puri Rath Yatra?
The Odisha state government denied that a stampede took place, asserting that the situation remained normal throughout the festival and that all essential services functioned effectively. The two deaths were attributed to crowd-related suffocation and cardiac arrest in separate incidents.
What did Odisha CM Mohan Charan Majhi say about the deaths?
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi expressed deep grief over the deaths, conveyed condolences to the bereaved families, and directed the administration to ensure proper medical care for all ailing devotees. He also thanked pilgrims for their discipline and cooperation during the festival.
Why did the Rath Yatra chariots not reach Gundicha Temple on Thursday?
The chariots of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Devi Subhadra did not complete the approximately 3-km journey to the Gundicha Temple by the end of Thursday. Devotees are expected to resume pulling the chariots on Friday morning to complete the procession.
How did opposition parties react to the Rath Yatra deaths?
The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and the Indian National Congress criticised the Odisha state government over the deaths of the two devotees during the Rath Yatra. Both parties questioned the administration's handling of the festival, though the state government maintained that crowd management was effective throughout.
