Puri. July 17: A tragic stampede during the annual Rath Yatra in Puri claimed the lives of two devotees and left two others critically injured on Thursday, despite elaborate security and crowd-management arrangements by the state government and district administration.

The incident occurred around 2 p.m. near Marichikote Square on the Grand Road (Bada Danda), where a sudden surge in the crowd triggered panic and a stampede ahead of the chariot-pulling ceremony.

The deceased were identified as Anil Das (36) of Shirlenabagram in Cuttack district and Ashok Raikar (60) of Maharashtra, who had travelled to Puri with three friends to witness the festival. The two critically injured devotees, including a woman, were shifted to SCB Medical College and Hospital, Cuttack, for advanced treatment.

Eyewitnesses said devotees were caught in an intense crush as people pushed forward, causing several to fall and become trapped beneath the crowd. Around ten devotees were rescued by volunteers and fellow pilgrims.

According to hospital sources, Anil Das suffered fatal chest compression injuries, while Ashok Raikar sustained severe head injuries after being crushed during the stampede. Both were declared dead on arrival at the hospital.

The two injured devotees remain under treatment at the SCB Trauma Centre. One of them, a 55-year-old man, suffered serious leg injuries, while the woman sustained injuries to her chest and abdomen. Doctors from the Orthopaedics and Surgery departments are monitoring their condition.

Earlier in the day, overcrowding and inadequate crowd control reportedly resulted in more than 200 devotees experiencing breathing difficulties. They were admitted to the District Headquarters Hospital for treatment, with most discharged after receiving first aid.

The incident has raised serious concerns over crowd management despite extensive preparations for the festival. Reports also alleged that access to the hospital was temporarily restricted and the ward containing the bodies was sealed by police before the administration officially confirmed the fatalities. The deaths were acknowledged only after videos of the stampede circulated widely on social media.

The incident has cast a shadow over one of Odisha's largest religious festivals and is likely to prompt scrutiny of the crowd-management measures in place for the annual Rath Yatra.