Over 600 fall ill during Puri Rath Yatra, many admitted to hospitals

Nearly 625 people fell ill and many had to be admitted to hospitals due to sweltering heat and overcrowding during Rath Yatra here on Friday, officials said.

According to Puri Chief District Medical Officer (CDMO) Dr. Kishore Satapathy, several people reported minor injuries, vomiting, and fainting primarily due to overcrowded conditions.

"Most of them were discharged after receiving preliminary treatment at OPDs. There were no casualties," he added.

Odisha Health and Family Welfare Minister Mukesh Mahaling said the primary cause of illness among devotees was extreme heat and humid conditions.

Around 70 people were undergoing treatment at the District Headquarters Hospital in Puri, with nine reported to be in critical condition, an official said.

Meanwhile, sources claimed that a number of people were injured near Balagandi area where Lord Balabhadra's chariot, Taladhwaja, remained stuck for over an hour.

"The prolonged halt led to a dense buildup of crowd, resulting in several people getting trapped and sustained injuries while trying to get out of the congested area," an official said.

The injured were promptly shifted to hospitals with assistance of volunteers from government agencies and private organisations.