Odisha CM announces ₹10 lakh ex-gratia for kin of Puri Rath Yatra deaths
Synopsis
Two devotees died during Puri's Rath Yatra on 16 July — but the official account and the opposition's version are sharply at odds. While the Odisha government announced ₹10 lakh ex-gratia each and denied a stampede, the BJD alleges post-mortem reports tell a different story, with three deaths and over 350 injuries linked to a crush near Marichikote Chowk.
Key Takeaways
Odisha CM Mohan Charan Majhi announced ₹10 lakh each from the CMRF for kin of two devotees who died during Puri Rath Yatra on 16 July .
The deceased were identified as Anil Das of Kataka and Ashok Subare Raikar of Mumbai.
The state government denied a stampede occurred, attributing deaths to illness and cardiac arrest.
The opposition BJD alleged a stampede near Marichikote Chowk killed three and injured over 350 devotees .
BJD claims post-mortem reports confirm stampede as cause of death, and has demanded a judicial inquiry .
Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Monday, 20 July announced an ex-gratia payment of ₹10 lakh each from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund (CMRF) for the families of two devotees who died during the Rath Yatra in Puri on 16 July. The announcement was made through the official X handle of the Chief Minister's Office (CMO).
Who the Deceased Were
The two devotees identified are Anil Das of Kataka and Ashok Subare Raikar of Mumbai, both of whom fell ill during the festival and subsequently died while undergoing treatment. The CMO stated that Chief Minister Majhi expressed deep grief over their demise.
What the Government Said
The state government confirmed the deaths but denied that a stampede had taken place. According to the official version, seven persons fell unwell during the festival and were evacuated by deployed personnel and shifted to hospital. One male devotee aged above 60 years succumbed, while a second male devotee aged above 35 years suffered a cardiac arrest and died despite immediate medical intervention. The government said several other devotees who fell ill due to incessant rain were treated and discharged.
Opposition Allegations and Contradictions
The incident has triggered sharp political backlash. Opposition leaders have accused the state government of serious lapses in crowd management, alleging that the official account is an attempt to suppress the true scale of the tragedy. The main opposition Biju Janata Dal (BJD) alleged that during the Rath Yatra on 16 July, four critically injured devotees were brought to Puri District Headquarters Hospital following a stampede near Marichikote Chowk on the Grand Road (Bada Danda) of Puri.
The BJD further alleged that the Chief District Medical Officer (CDMO), Puri, declared three of these devotees dead, and that post-mortem reports established the cause of death as the stampede. The opposition also claimed that over 350 devotees sustained injuries in the incident. Critics have condemned what they describe as an attempt to attribute the deaths to 'Lord Jagannath's will' rather than administrative failure.
Demand for Judicial Inquiry
The BJD has demanded a judicial inquiry into what it terms the stampede during the Ghosa Yatra (Rath Yatra). The party has also called on the government to ensure that all upcoming rituals — including the Bahuda Yatra and Niladri Bije — are conducted smoothly and without disruption. The government has not yet responded to the demand for an independent inquiry.
With competing accounts from the state administration and the opposition, the full circumstances surrounding the deaths during one of India's largest religious gatherings remain contested.
Point of View
Cardiac arrest) and the opposition's account (stampede, post-mortem evidence, 350-plus injured) is too wide to be explained away by semantics. Puri's Rath Yatra draws millions annually, and crowd management protocols have long been flagged as inadequate relative to the scale. If the BJD's claims about post-mortem findings are accurate, suppressing that record would be a serious governance failure — and the demand for a judicial inquiry deserves a substantive government response, not silence.
NationPress
21 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Odisha CM announce ₹10 lakh ex-gratia after Rath Yatra?
Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi announced ₹10 lakh each from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund for the families of two devotees — Anil Das of Kataka and Ashok Subare Raikar of Mumbai — who died after falling ill during the Puri Rath Yatra on 16 July. The announcement was made on 20 July through the CMO's official X handle.
Did a stampede occur at the Puri Rath Yatra 2025?
The Odisha state government has denied that a stampede took place, saying the deaths were due to illness and a cardiac arrest. However, the opposition BJD alleges a stampede occurred near Marichikote Chowk on the Grand Road, killing three devotees and injuring over 350, a claim it says is backed by post-mortem reports.
How many people died during the Puri Rath Yatra on 16 July?
The state government has officially confirmed two deaths. The opposition BJD, however, alleges three devotees died as a result of a stampede, citing post-mortem reports from the Puri District Headquarters Hospital.
What has the BJD demanded following the Rath Yatra incident?
The Biju Janata Dal has demanded a judicial inquiry into the deaths during the Rath Yatra and called on the government to ensure that upcoming rituals — including the Bahuda Yatra and Niladri Bije — are conducted safely. The party has also condemned attempts to attribute the deaths to 'Lord Jagannath's will.'
Who were the devotees who died during the Puri Rath Yatra?
The two devotees officially confirmed dead are Anil Das from Kataka and Ashok Subare Raikar from Mumbai. Both fell ill during the festival on 16 July and died while undergoing treatment. The opposition alleges a third death also occurred.
