Devotee dies of ‘suffocation’ in Puri amid massive rush for Lord Jagannath return procession

2 min readUpdated: Jul 25, 2026 08:25 AM IST Over 100 people reported health issues as the Opposition questioned the Odisha government's crowd management. (ANI Photo)A devotee died of suffocation amid a big rush of people who attended the Bahuda Yatra, or the return chariot procession, of Lord Jagannath in Puri on Friday, officials said. According to health department officials, the 57-year-old man from Cuttack collapsed in the crowd while pulling the chariot. He was immediately rushed to the nearby health centre and then to the Puri district headquarters hospital, where doctors declared him dead. Officials said that as per a preliminary report, the deceased had high blood pressure.The man’s body will be handed over to family members following the post-mortem. Senior officers are monitorin