Bhubaneswar, Dated 15th January-2023, Sunday

At least two Devotees have lost consciousness after a stampede at the Sri Jagannath Temple in Puri on Sunday. Both these devotees have been immediately shifted to the hospital. A woman resident of Hatgadia Sahi in Puri district and a minor girl resident of Pithapur area in Cuttack district were injured. Both of them have been admitted to the district hospital here under treatment. It is being reported from the hospital sources that the condition of both is stable.

Two devotees fell down in the midst of a crowd that gathered to watch 'Mangla Aarti'

A Temple official said that even before the Singhdwara was opened for devotees, a large number of devotees had gathered near the gate, due to which the situation was partially aggravated. The Makar Sankranti ceremony took a lot of time on Saturday night, due to which there was some delay in opening the temple doors on Sunday morning, the official said. As soon as the lion door opened, a crowd of people flocked to see the Lord's 'Mangla Aarti' and during this two devotees fell down. Meanwhile, Puri District Magistrate Samarth Verma visited the temple and visited the injured devotees admitted to the district hospital to know the situation.

A hit and run incident took place in Odisha on Saturday

It may be mentioned that the incident at the Jagannath temple came a day after a woman was killed and eight others were seriously injured in a stampede during the Makar Mela in Odisha's Cuttack district on Saturday. Police said the incident took place when a large number of people had gathered on the Badamba-Gopinathpur T-Bridge during the Makar Mela.