The Odisha government has recommended disciplinary action against seven senior police officers, including a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), for their alleged negligence during the tragic Puri Rath Yatra stampede on June 29, 2025, near the Gundicha Temple. The incident claimed three lives and left several devotees injured.

Inquiry Finds Serious Crowd Management Failures

A high-level inquiry conducted by Development Commissioner and Additional Chief Secretary (Planning & Coordination) Anu Garg revealed “serious lapses in crowd control and operational failure.”

According to the report, the AI-based surveillance and crowd monitoring systems installed under the Integrated Command and Control Centre (ICCC) in Puri did not function effectively during the festival. Out of 275 cameras san

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