Bhubaneswar: The administrative inquiry report into the tragic stampede near Sri Gundicha Temple during Rath Jatra 2025 was officially submitted today to Chief Minister Shri Mohan Charan Majhi at Lok Seva Bhawan.
The incident, which occurred on June 29, 2025, tragically claimed three lives and left approximately 50 people injured, casting a somber shadow over one of Odisha’s most sacred festivals.
Development Commissioner Anu Garg, who led the high-level inquiry, handed over the comprehensive report, fulfilling the government’s commitment to a thorough investigation within 30 days of the unfortunate event.
While the specific findings and recommendations are yet to be publicly disclosed, the report is expected to shed light on the circumstances that led to the stampede, including aspects of crowd management, security protocols, and emergency response.
The stampede transpired in the early hours of June 29 near Saradhabali, as thousands of devotees gathered for the darshan of Lord Jagannath, resulting in a sudden surge and chaos. The deceased were identified as Basanti Sahu (36) from Bolagarh, and Premakant Mohanty (80) and Pravati Das (42) from Balipatna. Many of the injured were treated at local hospitals, with some requiring critical care.
In the immediate aftermath of the tragedy, the state government took decisive actions to address the situation and prevent future recurrences. Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, expressing deep regret and personally apologizing to the devotees, announced an ex-gratia of ₹25 lakh each to the families of the deceased.
Furthermore, swift administrative changes were initiated. The Puri District Collector, Siddharth Shankar Swain, and Puri Superintendent of Police (SP), Vineet Agarwal, were transferred. Seniorpolice officials, DSP Bishnu Pati and Commandant Ajay Padhi were suspended for alleged dereliction of duty.
To bolster crowd management for the remainder of the Rath Jatra and subsequent events, experienced IAS officer Aravind Agarwal and senior IPS officer Soumendra Priyadarshi were brought in to oversee arrangements.
The government also launched a public appeal for information, urging citizens to submit any relevant details or video footage to assist in a transparent investigation. Over 147 individuals recorded their statements before the inquiry team, including police personnel, on-duty staff, and eyewitnesses.
The submission of this report marks a crucial step in the state’s efforts to understand the lapses that occurred and implement robust measures to ensure the safety of devotees during future religious gatherings.
The Chief Minister has assured that the government will meticulously examine the report’s contents and take stringent action based on its recommendations to prevent such a tragedy from ever happening again.