Bhubaneswar: A stampede-like situation was created after devotees broke through security barricades outside the Puri Jagannath temple, on Monday.
According to sources, devotees had been waiting in line for hours since yesterday night to seek the blessings of the Holy Trinity, with a massive queue stretching nearly half a kilometre from the temple to the Market Square. As the wait grew longer, frustrated devotees allegedly broke through the security cordon, resulting in a surge of people pushing forward.
The incident led to a stampede-like situation, with several devotees falling and getting trampled. Fortunately, no casualties were reported.
In the melee, several devotees suffered minor injuries but were rescued by other devotees.
This incident comes on the heels of a similar stampede-like situation near the temple’s entrance on Tuesday, where at least four devotees reported feeling unwell. The densely packed crowds and pushing and shoving among the devotees had created a volatile atmosphere.
