“The state government’s tall claims of having made massive security measures for the century’s first Nabakalebara Rath Yatra have come a cropper. The mishap occurred when almost all senior police officers, including DGP and several ministers were present in Puri. We are extremely upset over the crowd management,” said Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee president Prasad Harichandan.
Late on Saturday, police identified the stampede victims as Nirmala Baral, 40, from Nayagarh district and Sushila Samantaray, 75, from Kendrapada district. They were received dead at Puri district headquarters hospital after being trampled to death at Marichikot Chhak and Narendra Kona, respectively during pulling of Balabhadra’s chariot in the afternoon.
While three injured persons, including a woman, are undergoing treatment at Puri hospital, seven others were admitted to ICU in SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack on Sunday. Most of them sustained injuries on legs, heads and chests.
Congress alleged that the stampede occurred due to laxity of police, which was more concerned for the safety of VVIPs. “The police were busy attending VVIPs. When I met some injured in Puri district hospital, they told that the police violently pushed and shoved them at Marichikot Chhak to help some influential persons to pull the chariot of Balabhadra. Some pilgrims were injured in police attack at Marichikot Chhak and Narendra Kona,” Harichandan said.
“Chief minister Naveen Patnaik, who too attended the Rath Yatra, owes an answer for the mismanagement,” he added.
BJP state president K V Singhdeo too criticized the preparedness of the state government. “The crowd control mechanism was not adequate. The police was busy giving hospitality to VVIPs, mostly chief minister and other state ministers and left common pilgrims to suffer,” Singhdeo said.
VHP leader Prabin Togadia, who was in Puri on Sunday to attend a religious convention, demanded a judicial probe into the mishap.
Though Shri.Naveen Patnaik on Saturday condoled the deaths and announced free treatment for the injured, DGP Sanjeev Marik refused to accept it was a stampede.
Prasanta Patnaik