More than 20 people were injured in when a pile of firecrackers went off during Lord Jagannath's Chandan Yatra in Puri, Odisha, on Wednesday. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik directed the local administration to ensure proper treatment of the injured. The CM said the cost of the treatment will be borne from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund. Some of the injured are in critical condition, reported news agency ANI.
The fireworks were set off to mark the end of the 21-Day Chandan Yatra festival in Puri.
Police said that hundreds of people gathered on the banks of the Narendra Pushkarini reservoir to take part in the annual water sports festival of the holy trinity of Lord Jagannath, Subhadra, and Balabhadra. During the celebration, a group of devotees lit up firecrackers. Suddenly, a spark fell on a pile of firecrackers, causing a chain reaction. A video of the incident is doing the rounds now. However, ABP Live couldn't independently verify the clip.
Police further said that people who were standing in close proximity to the pile of the firecrackers sustained the worst injuries. As soon as the pile began lighting up, people panicked. Some of them even jumped into the reservoir to save themselves.
Puri SP Pinak Mishra said: "Several people were injured in a fire incident while bursting firecrackers. A rescue team reached the spot and all the injured were sent to SCB Hospital, Cuttack. Our priority is to provide treatment to the injured and then we will look into the other matters."
CM Naveen Patnaik in an X post said, "Sorry to hear about the accident near the Puri Narendra Pushkarini. I have directed the chief administrative secretary and the district administration to ensure proper treatment of the injured and monitor the system. All the medical expenses of the injured will be borne from the Chief Minister's Relief Fund. Wishing everyone good health in the name of the Lord."
Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan wished speedy recovery of the injured. "I am saddened to hear the news of the people sustaining injuries in the accident that took place at the Narendra Pushkarini Devighat during the Puri Chandan Yatra. I wish a speedy recovery to those under treatment so that they may return home quickly with the blessings of the Lord."
The Chandan Yatra, or Chandan Jatra, begins on the occasion of Akshaya Tritiya and lasts for 21 days. During this period, the representative idols of Lord Jagannath, Laskhmi, Saraswati, Rama Krishna, and the Panch Mahadevas are taken out for pleasure rides across the Narendra Pushkarini. The deities are smeared with sandalwood paste and then bathed in perfumed water.