PTI
Puri
Two persons died and five others fell ill in a temporary crowd surge and uncomfortable weather conditions during the Rath Yatra celebrations in this rain-affected Odisha town on Thursday, according to the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO).
During the festival, seven people felt unwell, and they were shifted to the hospital without delay, the CMO said in a
statement.
“Among them, one male devotee aged above 60 years unfortunately succumbed. The exact cause of death is being ascertained by the concerned authorities,” it said.
“Separately, in an unrelated incident, a male devotee aged above 35 years suffered a cardiac arrest and, despite immediate medical intervention, unfortunately passed away,” the statement
read.
Many devotees who became unwell due to rain-induced illness were given medical treatment at hospitals and were discharged later, the
CMO said.
Considering the unprecedented gathering of devotees and the continuous rainfall, instances of fatigue, dehydration, suffocation and minor health-related discomfort were reported during the course of the day.
Claiming that the overall conduct of the festival remained “peaceful, orderly and well managed,” the state government said there was no incident of stampede or any systemic breakdown of crowd management.
“The coordinated efforts of the administration, security agencies, servitors and volunteers ensured uninterrupted movement of devotees,” the officials said, adding that the situation remained normal throughout the festival, with all essential services functioning effectively.
“Eight to nine lakh devotees” from across the country and abroad joined the annual Rath Yatra festival in the temple town, the CMO said.
Inspector general of fire services Umashankar Dash earlier said there had been a heavy rush of people at Grand Road or Bada Danda, on which the chariots roll down to Shree Gundicha temple, considered the birthplace of the deities.
“We have rescued almost 100 people who felt suffocated in the crowd. We have taken them to temporary hospitals and ambulances. That has given relief to devotees,” Dash told reporters.
