Puri, June 29 -- In a tragic turn of events, a stampede during the revered Lord Jagannath Rath Yatra in Puri claimed the lives of three devotees and left several others injured.

The news of the loss of lives sparked a wave of condolences from across the political spectrum. Leaders expressed deep sorrow over the incident, acknowledging the devotion of the victims and urging authorities to ensure stricter crowd control mechanisms in future.

As the sacred chariots of Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra, and Subhadra rolled out, the heavy rush led to chaos and overcrowding, which triggered the incident.

Speaking to ANI, Congress leader Shama Mohamed said, "It is an unfortunate incident that people went to offer prayers and lost their lives. When a ...