Centre must set crowd management protocols: Congress GS Surjewala

CONGRESS general secretary Randeep Surjewala on Monday demanded that accountability be fixed for the loss of lives in Puri Rath Yatra stampede and suggested measures like country-wide standard protocols for crowd management and the setting up of crowd safety task force by states.

- PBD BUREAU/PTI

Three persons, including two women, were killed and over 50 others injured in a stampede near Shree Gundicha Temple in Odisha's Puri early Sunday during a ceremony related to the ongoing Rath Yatra festivities. The incident occurred around 4.20 am on Sunday when thousands of devotees had gathered near the chariots parked in front of the temple.

Surjewala claimed that some "unpardonable glaring failures" of the BJP government in Odisha stand out in the incident.

He said that the entry and exit gates were on the same route which was also being used for 'VIP entry'. Surjewala also noted that the arrangements had broken down a night before as the polythene spread had become slippery and many devotees had slipped and fallen, a precursor to what would happen if there was a larger crowd.

Odisha government had "failed to put sufficient police or security arrangements. Ambulances were placed a kilometre away. There were no stretchers available and the injured had to be carried 'on hands'. Two trucks were permitted to come before the Rath of Lord Jagannath. Resultantly, many devotees got hit and fell down.