Over 10 lakh devotees on Tuesday thronged Puri to see the famous car festival of Lord Jagannath. A cloudy sky with intermittent drizzling provided a perfect weather for the visitors to witness the annual journey of the deity to His aunt Gundicha’s house.
All the rituals were completed on schedule and the three well-decorated chariots — Nandigosh of Lord Jagannath, Taladwaja of Lord Balabhadra and Darpadalan of Devi Subhadra — reached Gundicha temple before Tuesday evening.
One person died and eight others were injured during the festival. According to the police, an old woman, Bijayalamxi Mohanty of Bimanbadusahi of Puri, was caught in a stampede that broke out when devotees clashed to touch the idol of Lord Balbhadra.
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Abducted ASI seriously ill
Age Correspondent
Bhubaneswar
July 13: Assistant sub-inspector Umesh Marandi, who was abducted by the Maoists on March 7 from Dailtary police station in Orissa’s Jajpur district, is reportedly down with diabetes and blood pressure-related diseases.
The Naxals — who are holding him in captivity — informed that the ASI was being given ayurvedic medicine and he was responding well.