India • Jun 29, 2025

Over 600 devotees fall ill at Puri Rath Yatra

At this year's Puri Rath Yatra, over 600 devotees fell sick due to intense heat and overcrowding.
Most people had minor injuries or fainted, but about 70 are still in the hospital and nine remain in critical condition, according to an official.

TL;DR

Chariot gets stuck for over an hour

Ritual delays caused major crowd jams—especially when Lord Balabhadra's chariot got stuck for over an hour near Balagandi.
This led to severe congestion with people unable to move until officials and volunteers stepped in to help with medical aid and quick transfers.

Odisha Health Minister's statement

Odisha Health Minister Mukesh Mahaling pointed out that the extreme weather was a big reason so many fell ill this year.