‘Pahandi’ procession, choked Grand Road : What triggered crowd scare at Puri Rath Yatra

During Puri’s Rath Yatra, a sudden surge in the crowd resulted in a tragic death of one devotee. More than one hundred individuals were treated for suffocation, prompting emergency responders to evacuate some on stretchers near the Singhadwara. This event unfolded as thousands attended the Pahandi ritual and chariot procession, reigniting important discussions about crowd safety following last year’s similar incident.