Odisha CM Seeks Forgiveness, Apologizes to Devotees for Puri Stampede Tragedy
In the wake of the tragic stampede near the Shree Gundicha Temple in Puri that claimed at least three lives and left around 50 injured, Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Sunday offered a public apology and sought forgiveness from devotees of Lord Jagannath.

Addressing the grief and anguish caused by the incident, Majhi took to social media platform X to express regret on behalf of his government. “I and my government seek forgiveness from all Jagannath devotees. We express our condolences to the families of devotees who lost their lives… pray to Mahaprabhu Jagannath to grant them the strength to bear this profound sorrow,” he said.

The stampede occurred in the early hours of Sunday as thousands of devotees thronged the city to participate in the annual Rath Yatra celebrations. The area around the Shree Gundicha Temple, where the incident took place, had witnessed a massive influx of pilgrims during the rituals.

The Chief Minister’s statement comes amid mounting calls for accountability and improved crowd management at one of India’s most significant religious events. Officials have initiated an inquiry to determine the exact cause of the stampede and evaluate the adequacy of safety measures.

Majhi also assured that the injured are receiving proper medical care and that the government is taking all necessary steps to prevent such tragedies in the future.