Bhubaneswar, June 29: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Majhi today announced an ex-gratia of Rs 25 lakh each to the next of kin of three people who died in the tragic stampede at Saradhabali near the Gundicha Temple in Puri during the ongoing Rath Yatra 2025.
CM Majhi has also directed that a full administrative inquiry, led by the Development Commissioner, be carried out to ensure a thorough investigation into the incident.
The investigation will aim to examine the cause of the stampede and the factors that contributed to the chaos.
Apart from it, several key administrative changes have been made including the transfer of Puri Collector and Superintendent of Police (SP). While Chanchal Rana has been appointed as the new District Collector, Pinak Mishra took over as the new SP.
Furthermore, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Vishnu Pati and Commandant Ajay Padhi have been suspended from their duties due to negligence in their roles during the incident.
Meanwhile, former Puri collector and Higher Education Secretary Aravind Agrawal has been assigned to oversee overall supervision of the Rath Yatra.
CM Majhi emphasized that the Rath Yatra is a matter of immense pride and reverence for the people of Odisha. He made it clear that any form of negligence in handling such a large gathering would not be tolerated. Strict actions will be taken against those responsible for the incident, and the government is committed to ensuring that similar tragedies do not occur in the future.
Earlier today, CM Majhi expressed deep sorrow and grief over the loss of lives in the tragic stampede and extended his heartfelt apologies to all the Jagannath devotees, on behalf of both himself and the state government.
Notably, the stampede occurred at around 4:00 AM today when a large crowd had gathered for darshan of Lord Jagannath and his siblings, who were on their respective chariots.
Eyewitnesses said that panic broke out when workers unloading wooden logs from a truck near the gathering area caused a disturbance. The commotion led to a rush of people, and many were trampled in the ensuing chaos.
At the time, over 500 devotees were sitting on plastic mats, and many were injured in the stampede.
