Bhubaneswar: The Leader of Opposition and Biju Janata Dal (BJD) president Naveen Patnaik on Thursday expressed profound grief over the reported death of a devotee in an alleged stampede-like situation during the Rath Yatra festival in Puri.
On his X handle, Patnaik urged the government to remain vigilant and properly manage crowds to ensure such incidents do not recur.
The former CM stated he was deeply saddened by the news of the loss of a devotee’s life among the heavy rush at Badadanda during Rath Yatra. He prayed for the eternal peace of the soul of the devotee who lost their life and for the speedy recovery of more than a hundred injured devotees.
Patnaik added that in this hour of grief, all workers of the BJD will extend their full cooperation to provide assistance to everyone.
He expressed hope that the state government would ensure devotees’ convenience and safety by properly managing the crowds.
