Bhubaneswar, 16 July (H.S.) : The Odisha Government on Thursday confirmed that the Puri Rath Yatra 2026 was conducted in a peaceful and well-managed manner despite incessant rainfall and a massive turnout of devotees, while reporting two deaths during the festival. Officials clarified that there were no incidents of stampede or any breakdown in crowd management.
According to an official release from the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO), an estimated 8 to 9 lakh devotees from across Odisha, the country and abroad participated in the annual chariot festival. Continuous rainfall throughout the day did not deter devotees, highlighting their deep-rooted faith and devotion.
In view of the large gathering and inclement weather, several cases of fatigue, dehydration, suffocation and minor health issues were reported. Seven devotees who fell ill were promptly evacuated by deployed personnel and shifted to hospitals.
Among them, one male devotee aged above 60 years succumbed, with the exact cause of death yet to be ascertained. In a separate and unrelated incident, another male devotee aged above 35 years died after suffering a cardiac arrest despite immediate medical attention. Several other devotees affected by rain-related ailments were treated and later discharged.
The CMO made it clear that no stampede or systemic failure in crowd control occurred during the festival. Authorities stated that coordinated efforts by the administration, security personnel, servitors and volunteers ensured smooth and uninterrupted movement of devotees. The overall situation remained normal, with essential services functioning efficiently.
The State Government had put in place comprehensive and multi-layered arrangements for the successful completion of the festival. Preparations involved multiple departments, including Police, Health, Fire Services, Odisha Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Transport, Municipal Administration, Public Health Engineering and Energy.
Round-the-clock monitoring, adequate deployment of security forces, extensive CCTV surveillance, public announcement systems, traffic regulation, sanitation, drinking water facilities, emergency response teams and strong medical infrastructure contributed significantly to ensuring safety and convenience for devotees.
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi expressed heartfelt gratitude to servitors and thanked the lakhs of devotees for their patience, discipline and cooperation, which contributed to the peaceful conduct of the festival. He reaffirmed the State Government’s commitment to further strengthening infrastructure, public services and administrative preparedness to ensure a safe, dignified and convenient experience for all devotees in future celebrations.
Hindusthan Samachar / Monalisa Panda
