New Delhi/Puri: Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday expressed grief over the stampede at Saradhabali near Shree Gundicha Temple, which claimed three lives and left several devotees injured.
Describing the incident as “extremely tragic”, he urged the Odisha government to expedite relief efforts. “This tragedy is a serious reminder that security and crowd management preparations for such large events must be thoroughly reviewed. Protecting lives is paramount, and any lapse in this responsibility is unacceptable,” he said in a post on X.
Rahul conveyed his condolences to the bereaved families and wished a speedy recovery to those injured in the incident. He also appealed to Congress workers to extend every possible assistance on the ground.
Three devotees, including two women, were killed and six others were injured at around 4.20 am when two trucks loaded with Charamala wood (considered sacred) entered the Saradhabali area, which saw a sudden surge in devotees, trying to catch a glimpse of the deities on the chariots as the ‘pahada’ ritual was about to begin.
Earlier in the day, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi sought forgiveness from devotees of Lord Jagannath for the stampede and tendered an apology on behalf of his government. He described the incident as “unforgivable negligence” and promised a thorough investigation into security lapses. “This level of negligence is wholly unacceptable. An immediate investigation into the safety lapses will be conducted and strict action will be taken against those responsible, with exemplary measures put in place to prevent such tragedies in the future,” he posted on X.
Also Read: Odisha CM Calls Saradhabali Stampede ‘Unforgivable Negligence’, Apologises To Jagannath Devotees
Heads have also rolled with the government appointing IAS officer and Khurda collector Chanchal Rana as Puri Collector, replacing Siddharth Shankar Swain, who has been shifted to the General Administration department as OSD Similarly, IPS officer Pinak Mishra, currently serving as STF DIG, has been appointed as the new SP in place of Vinit Agrawal, who has been posted to the State Police Headquarters as OSD.
DCP Bishnu Pati and Commandant Ajay Padhi have also been suspended for negligence of duty.
Also Read: Saradhabali Stampede: Puri Collector & SP Removed; Rs 25L Ex-Gratia For Deceased Devotees
The CM has also ordered an administrative Inquiry under the supervision of Development Commissioner into the safety lapses. “Mahaprabhu’s Rath Yatra is a matter of pride and honor for the Odia community. No negligence will be tolerated in this regard. Exemplary actions will be taken against all responsible individuals and robust safeguards will be put in place to prevent such tragedies in the future,” he said.
Majhi also announced an ex-gratia of Rs 25 lakh each for the next of kin of the deceased devotees.
