Bhubaneswar, Nov 8: The Odisha government has ordered disciplinary proceedings against seven police officers and decided to blacklist a private technology firm following an inquiry into the June 29 stampede near Puri’s Gundicha Temple during the Rath Yatra, which claimed three lives and injured several others.

In an official communication to the DG and IG of police, the Home (Special Section) Department stated that the government had accepted the findings of a probe led by the Development Commissioner-cum-Additional Chief Secretary (Planning & Coordination). The inquiry cited grave lapses in police supervision, poor coordination with the temple administration, and the failure of the AI-based Integrated Command and Control Centre (ICCC).

The officers found negligent include Ajay Kumar Padhi, Commandant, OSAP 3rd Battalion, Koraput; Vishnu Prasad Pati, DCP (HQ), Bhubaneswar–Cuttack; Tapas Ranjan Das, Commandant, SSMSV, Puri; K.K. Nayak, Deputy Commandant, SSMSV, Puri; Prasanta Kumar Sahoo, DSP City, Puri; Susanta Kumar Sahoo, IIC, Kumbharapada Police Station; and Sarada Prasad Dash, Commandant, OSAP 8th Battalion, Chatrapur.

According to the report, the two senior-most officers responsible for crowd management — Padhi and Pati — were absent from the ground during the crucial period and failed to supervise the massive gathering. Both officers are already under suspension. The Director General of Police (DGP) has been instructed to initiate proceedings against them under Rule 15 of the Odisha Civil Services (CCA) Rules, 1962.

The probe also highlighted poor coordination with Sevayats and the temple administration, inadequate communication regarding ritual delays, and ineffective control over the swelling crowd. It noted that allowing a vehicle carrying chariot ropes to pass through a densely packed area likely triggered the stampede.

Serious deficiencies were also found in ICCC operations. Of the 275 CCTV cameras installed, only between 123 and 232 were functional, many were misaligned, and the AI-based crowd density and facial recognition systems failed to perform adequately. Although drones were available, they were not effectively utilized for real-time crowd monitoring.

The government has decided to blacklist M/s Invent Grid India Pvt. Ltd., the vendor responsible for the ICCC, for failing to deliver the required services. Disciplinary action has also been recommended against Commandant Sarada Prasad Dash, who supervised the ICCC, for not alerting authorities despite visible signs of congestion on live camera feeds.

The DGP has been directed to submit an action-taken report to the Home Department. Earlier, the Puri SP had been transferred shortly after the incident as an immediate administrative measure.