2 min readUpdated: Jul 25, 2026 08:25 AM IST
A devotee died of suffocation amid a big rush of people who attended the Bahuda Yatra, or the return chariot procession, of Lord Jagannath in Puri on Friday, officials said.
According to health department officials, the 57-year-old man from Cuttack collapsed in the crowd while pulling the chariot. He was immediately rushed to the nearby health centre and then to the Puri district headquarters hospital, where doctors declared him dead. Officials said that as per a preliminary report, the deceased had high blood pressure.
The man’s body will be handed over to family members following the post-mortem. Senior officers are monitoring the situation, said an official.
More than 100 people suffered health issues amid the big rush and humid conditions during the Bahuda Yatra on Friday. “Most of the patients were discharged from hospital after preliminary treatment,” an official said.
In the Bahuda Yatra, it is believed that the deities Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Goddess Subhadra return to their abode — the 12th-century Puri temple — after completing their nine-day sojourn to Gundicha Temple, their birthplace.
Opposition questions arrangements
The Opposition Biju Janata Dal (BJD) alleged that the devotee died due to a stampede-like situation due to a lack of adequate measures taken by the state government. Senior BJD leader Sanjay Das Burma said over 25 patients are currently admitted to the trauma care centre of Puri DHH due to the “mismanagement” by authorities.
During Gundicha Yatra on July 16, two devotees died due to an “unprecedented crowd surge”. The state government has already announced ex gratia of Rs 10 lakh to the families of each of the deceased.
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Meanwhile, the state government has made special traffic control and crowd management plans for the Suna Besha (golden attire) ritual that will take place on Saturday, officials said.
According to Additional Director General (ADG) Soumendra Priyadarshi, around 1 million devotees are expected to throng Puri on Saturday evening to witness the Suna Besha of the deities. He said managing the crowd on the day would be a “big challenge”.