Bhubaneswar: The death of two devotees and injuries to several others during Rath Yatra in Puri on Thursday has once again turned the spotlight on crowd management, with witnesses alleging that designated “safe zones” meant for emergency evacuation were obstructed, hampering rescue efforts.In the wake of last year’s tragedy — when three devotees died outside Gundicha temple on the third day of Rath on June 29 — Odisha police, for the first time, earmarked 26 ‘safe evacuation zones’ along the 3km Grand Road, the chariot route. These included shopping complexes and hotels identified as diversion corridors to ease pressure during a surge.Thursday’s mishap occurred at Marchikota Chowk, a stretch between Dolabedi Kona and Town police station where six such safe zones were earmarked. Police earlier assured that rescue units would be stationed nearby and the corridors kept unobstructed for smooth passage.Witnesses, however, painted a different picture. “When we fell in the stampede‑like situation, there was neither police presence nor any signage pointing to evacuation corridors or safe zones. Devotees fell over one another, resulting in chaos,” said Rajanikant Swain, who was at the site.Others expressed disappointment at the situation. “We travelled from far‑off places after being convinced by the elaborate arrangements announced by top officials. Over 13,500 police personnel, 20 companies of central forces, and 23 IPS officers were deployed. Yet the incident happened,” said Taniya Mahapatra, a vlogger from Balasore, who was present in the crowd.“The dissonance between official claims and ground realities has left many of us in doubt whether the promised ‘safe zones’ were truly safe,” said Sovan Pattnaik, another witness.Local residents were more scathing. “It seems the arrangements existed only on paper and Powerpoint presentations. On the ground, it was a failed crowd‑control plan,” said Puri resident Binayak Mishra.Police, however, defended their strategy. “The govt has already clarified there was no stampede and no collapse of crowd control measures. Our plans were executed on the ground,” a senior officer maintained.Even as criticism mounted, Odisha police’s social media handles struck a self‑congratulatory tone. “Serving with dedication; protecting with commitment. From crowd management and traffic regulation to emergency response and public assistance, Odisha police is working round the clock to ensure a safe, secure, and seamless Rath Yatra 2026 for every devotee,” read a post on X.
