According to eyewitness, Sudhir Pratap Singh from Mughalgarhi village, "The incident happened after 'Baba' announced that devotees should take soil from around his feet. The devotees rushed to collect the soil in a hurry but started falling over and piling up."
"Chief Minister Majhi expressed deep grief over the death of a devotee named Lalitha Bagarti of Saitala block of Balangir district due to the crowd during the procession today and expressed his condolences to the bereaved family," read the post by the Chief Minister's Office (CMO).
Rashtriya Janata Dal leader and elder son of Lalu Yadav, Tej Pratap Yadav was spotted hugging a Shivlinga and getting the water consecration done by Pandits.
The festival offers a vibrant and spiritual experience for the lakhs of devotees who will gather to witness this auspicious occasion. This year, the event will be held for two days due to specific celestial arrangements.
Amid heightened security, another batch of pilgrims departed from the Baltal Base camp in Jammu and Kashmir's Srinagar for the annual pilgrimage -- Amarnath Yatra.
Buddhist monks and devotees celebrated the birthday of Dalai Lama by cutting a 25-pound cake. In a special puja, Buddhist monks prayed for the long life of the Dalai Lama
A major highlight of this year's mela is the grand Rath (chariot) prepared for Lord Jagannath, which stands at an impressive height of 58 feet. The procession of the Rath is a central attraction, drawing devotees and visitors from across the region.
With barely a day left for the commencement for the annual Shri Jagannath Yatra, preparations are in full swing in order to ensure a smooth and safe yatra for the devotees.
According to the preliminary report, the stampede occurred when devotees tried to collect soil from the preacher's feet and were stopped by security personnel, leading to a rush and subsequent chaos.