Devotee dies due to suffocation during Puri Rath Yatra, toll mounts to three

A devotee died allegedly due to suffocation while pulling the ‘Darpadalan’ chariot of Goddess Subhadra during the Bahuda Yatra, the return car festival, on Friday, police said.

The deceased was identified as Abhiram Das (57) from Cuttack. He suddenly fell down while pulling the chariot near Bagala Dharmasala and was immediately rushed to Puri District Hospital, where he died during treatment, a police officer said.

“The deceased had hypertension and was under medication. He suddenly collapsed and died during treatment,” Director of Health Service (DHS), Mahesh Mohan Panda said. The medical officer said that about 100 people were brought to the district hospital in Puri. They complained of uneasiness and most of them were released after primary treatment and rest for some time.

Seven of them were admitted to the hospital and their condition is stable and they would soon be discharged, he said. Police said though there was no crowd rush near the chariot, the weather in Puri was hot and humid. The relative humidity level in the coastal town was recorded at 85 to 90 per cent in the evening.

With the fresh death, the Rath Yatra toll in Puri has increased to three as two other persons died – one allegedly due to suffocation and another due to cardiac arrest – on July 16 when chariots were being pulled towards Gundicha temple.

Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has announced a compensation of Rs 10 lakh each for the next of kin of the deceased.