Puri, July 16: The official investigation into the tragic stampede near Gundicha Temple in Puri on June 29, which claimed three lives during the Rath Yatra, is moving forward with key developments.
On Tuesday, Odisha Development Commissioner and Additional Chief Secretary, Anu Garg, held a major hearing at the Special Circuit House in Puri. Statements were recorded from 40 officials who were present on duty during the incident.
This hearing is part of a larger investigation to find out what went wrong and how future crowd management can be improved during big religious events like the Rath Yatra.
Before the hearing, Anu Garg visited the site of the stampede along with the Puri District Collector, Superintendent of Police, and the Chief Administrator of the Shree Jagannath Temple. They spoke to servitors, media persons, and police officers to better understand what happened on the day of the incident.
To get a clearer picture, the inquiry committee has asked the public to come forward with any video clips or important information. Eyewitnesses and attendees have been requested to send their inputs to [email protected] by July 20. This will help the officials build a detailed timeline and investigate the events thoroughly.
The Rath Yatra is one of Odisha’s biggest and most popular religious festivals, attracting lakhs of devotees every year. Sadly, this year’s celebration turned tragic due to the stampede, raising serious concerns about safety planning and crowd control measures.
Authorities are now working to ensure such incidents do not occur in the future and are taking the matter very seriously.
