Jagannath Rath Yatra Tragedy: Naveen Patnaik Criticizes Odisha Government's Crowd Management

During a tragic turn of events at the Jagannath Rath Yatra in Puri, former Odisha Chief Minister and Biju Janata Dal (BJD) leader Naveen Patnaik expressed his condolences and criticized the state's administration. A stampede near the Gundicha Temple on Sunday led to the deaths of three devotees and injured several others.

Patnaik attacked the Odisha government for what he termed as "glaring incompetence" in managing the event, calling the mishap an "abysmal failure". He highlighted the delay in pulling the Nandighosha chariot as a "shocking excuse" hiding the administration's responsibility. Eyewitnesses reported initial assistance offered by relatives rather than official authorities.

Amid these criticisms, Odisha Law Minister Prithviraj Harichandan informed ANI of the tragedy and shared measures underway to manage the situation, including deploying additional police forces. The DGP's on-site presence underscores ongoing efforts to prevent future incidents. Investigation into the incident's causes continues as authorities plan stricter crowd management strategies.

(With inputs from agencies.)