Odisha: Fresh devotee death reported during Bahuda Yatra in Puri
A devotee reportedly died due to suffocation while several others were hospitalised during the Bahuda Yatra (return journey) of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, Devi Subhadra and the celestial weapon Chakraraj Sudarshan in the holy coastal town of Puri, Odisha, on Friday.
IANS
Jul 24, 2026 11:43
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Bhubaneswar, July 24 (IANS) A devotee reportedly died due to suffocation while several others were hospitalised during the Bahuda Yatra (return journey) of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, Devi Subhadra and the celestial weapon Chakraraj Sudarshan in the holy coastal town of Puri, Odisha, on Friday.
According to reports, the deceased was identified as Abhiram Das (57) from Kataka district. However, the state government has yet to confirm the death officially.
Sources said the devotee suddenly fell ill, allegedly due to the heavy crowd during the pulling of Darpadalana, the chariot of Devi Subhadra, near Bagala Dharmashala in Puri town on Friday evening. He was immediately rushed to the Puri District Headquarters Hospital, where doctors declared him dead.
The reported death comes less than two weeks after two devotees died during this year’s Rath Yatra on July 16.
Officials claimed that one elderly devotee died while undergoing treatment after allegedly suffering suffocation due to the heavy crowd, while another succumbed to a cardiac arrest in a separate incident.
Amid allegations of massive mismanagement levelled by the opposition Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and Congress, the state government confirmed the deaths of two devotees during the Rath Yatra. Still, it denied that any stampede had occurred during the festival on July 16.
On July 20, Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi announced ex gratia of Rs 10 lakh each for the next of kin of the two devotees, Anil Das of Kataka and Ashok Subare Raikar of Mumbai, who died during this year’s Rath Yatra in Puri on July 16.
Lakhs of devotees thronged Puri on Friday to participate in the Bahuda Yatra, marking the deities’ return journey from the Gundicha Temple back to the Shree Jagannath Temple after their nine‑day sojourn.
Devotees pulled the three huge chariots of the holy siblings from Gundicha Temple back to the 12th‑century shrine during Bahuda Yatra.
--IANS
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