Puri: The state government has formed a four-member committee to investigate the stampede incident that occurred during this year’s Rath Yatra. The committee comprises four senior OAS (Odisha Administrative Service) officers, as per a notification issued by the General Administration Department. This committee will assist Development Commissioner and Additional Chief Secretary Anu Garg, who is overseeing the investigation.
The committee includes Manas Ranjan Samal, Bijay Dash, Rashmi Ranjan Nayak, and Pradeep Sahu.
Meanwhile, financial assistance has been provided to the family of Basanti Sahu, a woman from Khordha who died in the incident. An ex gratia of ₹25 lakh was handed over by the Law Minister. Basanti Sahu belonged to Gobardhanpur village under Bolagarh police limits.
In addition, the State Human Rights Commission has intervened in the matter. After receiving a complaint, the commission has sought a detailed report on the incident. Notices have been issued to the Chief Administrator of Srimandir, Puri District Collector, and the Superintendent of Police, asking for clarification and steps taken to prevent recurrence of such incidents.
Background of the Incident:
On the night of Sri Gundicha (first day of Rath Yatra), three devotees lost their lives, and around 12 were seriously injured in a stampede-like situation. Devotees were stuck in a congested queue (called Sharadhabali) since 12:30 AM for Lord Jagannath’s darshan. When the temple gates were suddenly opened at 4 AM, the crowd surged forward uncontrollably.
People rushed from all directions around the chariot. Security arrangements by the police and magistrates were severely lacking. Officers responsible for CCTV and AI surveillance were allegedly asleep during duty. As the crowd became unmanageable, two trucks carrying chariot parts suddenly entered the crowd, despite there being no safety cordon or traffic control in place.
The sudden entry of the trucks into the dense crowd caused panic and a stampede-like situation. Many elderly women who were sitting or standing in the Sharadhabali area were pushed to the ground. In the chaos, some fell and were trampled by others. Reports indicate over 15 people fell, out of which three died on the spot, and the rest were hospitalized with serious injuries.
Due to this gross negligence of duty, the then District Collector and SP were transferred, and two Additional SP-rank officers responsible for duty were suspended.
The opposition parties strongly criticized the ruling BJP government over the incident. To ensure transparency, the government has assigned the Development Commissioner to lead the investigation. A strict deadline of one month has been set for the completion of the inquiry.