Three dead after crowd surge at Hindu festival in Odisha sparks stampede
A terrifying stampede has killed three people in India after a sudden crowd surge at a Hindu festival.
People were left 'breathless' when thousands of devotees had gathered in the city of Puri in the coastal state of Odisha.
Several others were injured during the crush, although an exact figure has not been released.
One local outlet reported that 50 people were injured, six of whom are in a critical condition.
The carnage allegedly started when a lorry carrying logs entered the area around the temple, causing panic to the worshippers who were sitting on plastic mats.
Confusion spread as the lorry began unloading leading to several trampled as people tried to get away from the narrow space, it was reported in Pragatavadi.
They added that eyewitnesses said festival-goers were the first to help the victims, rather than the emergency response teams.
The festival, the Ratha Yatra of Puri, is believed to be one of the oldest and largest Hindu chariot processions that takes place every year in honour of three deities.
Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi said the 'tragic incident' occurred due to the 'overwhelming rush of devotees'.
He added that the 'negligence' was 'unforgivable' and a probe has been launched to uncover how the 'safety lapses' allowed the tragedy to unfold.
The situation is now under control and extra police have been dispatched to help manage the crowd, Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan said.
'I extend my condolences to the families of those who lost their lives,' Majhi posted on social media platform X.
'This negligence is unforgivable. I have directed an immediate investigation into the safety lapses and exemplary actions will be taken against those responsible.'
The leader of the opposition, BJD President Naveen Patnaik, blasted the 'glaring example of administrative failure' and the 'mismanagement...proves the government's shocking abdication of responsibility'.
'There was a sudden surge in the crowd. Nine devotees experienced breathlessness and were taken to hospital. While three died, the others are in stable condition,' Siddharth Swain, a district administrative official, told reporters.
Deadly stampedes and crowd crushes are a common occurrence at Indian religious festivals.
On Friday, a panicked elephant trampled a crowd of festival-goers at the Rath Yatra celebrations through Khadia, an area in Ahmedabad, Gujarat.
The male elephant was part of an 18 animal strong procession when it appears to have become spooked.
The colourfully dressed creature seems to be looking for a way out from the busy streets when he storms away from its handlers and charges towards a crowd pressed up against some railings.
Several terrified people get caught under the elephant's feet and the collapsing railing as the huge animal bulldozes through, waving its tusks.
Dozens rush to help the squashed festival-goers once the creature makes its way further down the street, two more elephants in tow.
RK Sahu, Superintendent of the Kamla Nehru Zoological Garden told The Times of India: 'Following protocol, the elephant was immediately given a tranquilliser injection.
'Two female elephants were used to gently herd him away from the crowd, in line with our standard safety strategy.'
The Indian outlet reported that no one was injured and the alarmed crowd was able to be brought back under control.
The colourfully dressed creature seems to be looking for a way out from the busy streets when he charges towards a railing (out of shot), with dozens of people running after him
They added that the elephant was the only male in the procession and will not be re-joining the troop.
In May, six people were crushed to death in the state of Goa after thousands gathered for a popular fire-walking ritual.
And in January, at least 30 people were killed in an early morning crush at the Kumbh Mela, a Hindu mega-festival in the northern city of Prayagraj.
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