2 dead, 130 hurt during rath yatras in Odisha

Puri (Odisha), July 8

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At least two persons were killed and over 130 injured in two incidents during Lord Jagannath’s rath yatras in Odisha, officials said.

A resident of Bolangir district died allegedly due to suffocation in a stampede-like situation on Sunday during the yatra at Puri, a health official said. According to sources, the devotee fainted on the Grand Road while pulling the chariot of Lord Balabhadra. He was taken to a hospital, where the doctors declared him “brought dead”.

Expressing grief over his death, Odisha CM Mohan Charan Majhi announced ex gratia of Rs 4 lakh for the next of kin of the deceased.

In another incident, a devotee allegedly died after coming under the wheels of a chariot while pulling the chariot in Jharsuguda district on Sunday, the police said. The deceased was identified as Shyam Sundar Kishan (45).

More than 130 persons, including a few police personnel, were also injured during the rath yatra in Puri, a health official said.