A deadly stampede near the Gundicha Temple in Puri during the Rath Yatra festival resulted in three fatalities and over 50 injuries. The chaos, attributed to poor crowd management and unauthorized vehicles, drew sharp criticism and prompted a government investigation. Eyewitnesses reported confusion and inadequate response, while former CM Patnaik slammed the administration’s incompetence following the tragedy.

CM Mohan Manjhi tendered an apology for the incident and pledged strict action against those responsible for the lapses in crowd control and security arrangements.

Parag Jain will take over as the chief of R&AW, India’s external intelligence agency, on July 1