Odisha's Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan has condemned the tragic stampede that claimed three lives during the renowned Puri Rath Yatra celebration, calling the incident "deeply unfortunate" and promising decisive action following a comprehensive investigation.

The deadly crowd surge occurred during the world-famous Rath Yatra festival of Lord Jagannath in Puri, resulting in multiple casualties and injuries among devotees who had gathered for the sacred celebration. The incident has prompted immediate administrative changes and a thorough review of safety protocols.

Speaking to media representatives, Minister Harichandan assured that the state administration would conduct a rigorous inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the tragedy. He emphasized that appropriate measures would be implemented once investigative findings are complete, while expressing prayers for the welfare of all devotees affected by the incident.

The Odisha government has initiated swift administrative action in response to the crisis. A senior-level administrative investigation has been commissioned under the supervision of the Development Commissioner. Additionally, significant personnel changes have been implemented, including the replacement of Puri Superintendent of Police Pinak Mishra and Puri Collector Siddharth Shankar Swain with Chanchal Rana. Two officials, DCP Vishnu Pati and Commandant Ajay Padhi, have been suspended for dereliction of duty.

Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has announced substantial financial support for affected families, providing ₹25 lakh compensation to each family that lost a member in the stampede. The Chief Minister expressed profound grief over the tragedy and pledged that stringent action would be taken against responsible parties while implementing measures to prevent future incidents.

Emphasizing Odisha's cultural heritage, the Chief Minister described the Rath Yatra as a source of regional pride and committed to maintaining both the safety and sanctity of this significant religious festival. Despite the tragic circumstances, temple authorities confirmed that ceremonial rituals proceeded smoothly throughout the event.

Arabinda K Padhee, Chief Administrator of the Shree Jagannatha Temple Office, reported that the festival's traditional elements, including the chariots' journey to Shree Gundicha Temple, were completed according to established customs. He acknowledged devotees' cooperation and requested continued support for upcoming ceremonies, particularly the important Sandhya Darshan ritual scheduled for July 4.

State Director General of Police YB Khurania noted that the Pahandi Bije ceremony concluded peacefully, with millions of devotees across the nation witnessing the sacred proceedings without additional disturbances.

The annual Rath Yatra attracts hundreds of thousands of pilgrims from throughout India, making crowd management a critical challenge for authorities. This recent tragedy has intensified focus on safety protocols and crowd control measures, with officials committed to implementing enhanced security arrangements for future religious gatherings to prevent similar incidents.