Elderly devotee dies in front of Jagannath Temple

An elderly devotee today died of suffocation in front of Sri Jagannth Temple at Puri, the police said.

The victim was identified as Nidhi Behera of Nayagarh district.

He was among the heavy crowd asembled at the Lion's Gate. He fainted and subsequently breathed his last, the police said.

Behera along with his five family members had come to the pilgrim town to offer 'Sradha' to his forefathers on the occasion of Diwali, family sources said.

Thousands of devotees from across Odisha had thronged the pilgrim city to pay obeisance to ancestors by lighting jute sticks on Bada Danda (Grand road).