Bhubaneswar: Shortly after the opposition BJD accused the ruling BJP of attempting to cover up a third fatality during July 16 Rath Yatra in Puri, the Odisha government acknowledged the demise of a Mumbai native during pulling of the chariots of the Lords of Shree Jagannath Temple.
With this, the death toll climbed to three.
The government earlier reported two deaths: a 60-year-old unidentified man who succumbed to suffocation and Anil Das from Kataka, who suffered a cardiac arrest amid a crowd surge. On Monday, the Chief Minister’s Office identified the third victim as Ashok Subare Raikar, a resident of Mumbai. Raikar reportedly fell ill during the chariot-pulling festivities and died while receiving treatment at the Puri District Headquarters Hospital on July 16
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has announced ex-gratia assistance of Rs 10 lakh each for the families of the two devotees – Anil Das and Ashok Subare.
Expressing profound grief over the tragic deaths, the Chief Minister conveyed his condolences to the bereaved families and announced the compensation as a gesture of support during their difficult time. The assistance will be provided from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund (CMRF).
“On July 16, two devotees – Anil Das from Kataka and Ashok Subare Raikar from Mumbai – passed away while undergoing treatment in Puri due to illness. Expressing deep sorrow over their demise, Chief Minister Shri Mohan Charan Majhi announced financial assistance of Rs 10 lakh each from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund (CMRF) for the nearest family members of the deceased,” the CMO said on X.
Addressing a presser, BJD vice-president and former minister Sanjay Das Burma, along with spokesperson Lenin Mohanty, alleged that Health Minister Mukesh Mahaling had falsely claimed there was no stampede.The BJD leaders claimed that four critically injured individuals were admitted to the Puri district hospital, with three succumbing to their injuries, but the government allegedly concealed details of the third death. They demanded a judicial inquiry into the serious lapses in the conduct of the festival, citing gross mismanagement over the past two years.
