Stampede at Odisha Shrine Kills One, Injures 20, CM Announces Ex-gratia

Bhubaneswar: At least on person was trampled to death and 20 others were injured in a stampede on the occasion of Makar Sankranti in Odisha’s Cuttack district on Saturday, police said. 
 
As part of Makar Sankranti celebrations, people in large numbers had attended Makar mela and the huge congregation on Badamba-Gopinathpur T-Bridge resulted in a stampede.  

In view of Sankranti celebrations after a gap of two years due to COVID-19 situation, people from Cuttack, Khordha, Puri, Angul, Dhenkanal, Boudh and Nayagarh districts had visited the Singhanath shrine in a large number. The stampede incident occurred due to overcrowding of the connecting bridge to the shrine.  

The deceased woman was identified as a 45-year-old Anjana Swain. Among the injured, the condition of four persons is stated to be critical.  
The injured persons are undergoing treatment at SCB Medical College Hospital in Cuttack, Badamba-Narsinghpur MLA Mishra told reporters. 

Expressing grief over the incident, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik announced a solatium of Rs 5 lakh to the next of kin of the deceased woman. 

“The injured people will get free treatment and I wish for their speedy recovery,” Naveen Patnaik said in a statement. 

#WATCH | Odisha: One dead, nine injured after a stampede occurred during Makar Mela rush at Singhanath Temple in Baramba, Cuttack.

One dead while nine were injured in incident, three were referred to another hospital in Cuttack: Dr Ranjan Kumar Barik, Baramba hospital pic.twitter.com/t5FM7nkPKw

— ANI (@ANI) January 14, 2023

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