Bhubaneswar (Odisha) [India], July 1 (ANI): Biiju Janata Dal (BJD) leader Lenin Mohanty on Monday lashed out at the 'administrative lapse and callousness' of the concerned authorities which led to the stampede during the Lord Jagannath Rath Yatra a day earlier on June 29 and demanded the resignation of State Law Minister Prithviraj Harichandan.

The BJP leader said that the officials and ministers concerned with the law and order situation during the Rath Yatra were absent during the stampede.

Speaking to ANI, Mohanty said, 'We are extremely sad for the incident that has happened. This is the land of Lord Jagannath and people love to come to that place. During the annual rath yatra, a stampede took place on Sunday due to administrative lapse and callousness.'

'A team of 5 ministers was constituted, they were not there when the stampede took place, nor were the officials. When the stampede happened, these five ministers and the top-level officers were not there. An apology is not sufficient. Immediately after that, the real culprit should be punished. They just transferred the collector and DSP,' he said.

Adding further, he said, 'The real culprit is the law minister (Prithviraj Harichandan). He always boasts high but has very low performance. He should take moral responsibility and he should resign...'

Karnataka Congress MLC BK Hariprasad also reacted to the stampede and said, 'The BJP always tries to take political advantage of every situation. The Rath Yatra, which has been ongoing for thousands of years, has never experienced anything like this before. Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has the entire responsibility, and he should resign immediately...'

Meanwhile, as an administrative inquiry began into the Puri stampede, Development Commissioner Cum Additional Chief Secretary of Odisha, Anu Garg, spoke to mediapersons and said, '... 30 days are given in which we have to tell the reason behind this unfortunate incident and what measures can be taken so nothing like this happens in the future. We will speak with everyone and review all possible footage. What SOPs were there, and what were followed? After checking everything, the report will be submitted to the gov...'

Earlier on Sunday, Odisha Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan described the stampede that occurred during the annual Puri Rath Yatra as 'very unfortunate' and said appropriate action will be taken after the completion of an investigation.

Three devotees lost their lives and several others were injured during the crowd surge at the world-famous Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath in Puri.

'The incident is very unfortunate. The state government has taken strict action and a senior officer will investigate the incident... We will take action once we get the report of the investigation,' Harichandan told reporters.

He added, 'Mahaprabhu, with his wish, gives darshan to his devotees... Tomorrow, the devotees will have the opportunity to offer prayers... I prayed to Mahaprabhu for the well-being of everyone.'

Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi expressed deep sorrow over the incident and announced a financial assistance of Rs 25 lakh to the families of each of the deceased devotees. He also assured that strict action would be taken against those responsible and pledged to prevent such tragedies in the future.

'Rath Yatra is a source of pride for Odisha,' the Chief Minister said, adding that the safety and sanctity of the festival would be safeguarded at all costs.

'The chariots in the Rath Yatra reached Shree Gundicha Temple on June 28, and as per tradition, they visited their birthplace the next day. Unique and mesmerising rituals were conducted today very smoothly... We acknowledge the support and cooperation of the devotees... The important ritual will be the Sandhya Darshan on July 4. We request all the devotees to cooperate and follow the given instructions,' he said.

The annual Rath Yatra is a significant religious event in Odisha, drawing lakhs of devotees from across the country. The recent stampede has cast a shadow over the celebrations, prompting authorities to review crowd management and ensure stricter safety protocols in the coming days. (ANI)