PURI, Jun 20: At least 20 devotees were injured and some of them were detected with bone fractures in a near stampede-like situation during the pulling of first chariot Taladhwaj of Lord Balabhadra on Tuesday.
According to sources, when the Taladhwaj Rath was veered along the Badadanda near Sri Jew hotel close to Marichikot square, devotees fell down after colliding with a motorbike which was parked in front of the hotel.
While scores fell, others following trampled them, injuring about 20 devotees.
Five of them were diagnosed with bone fractures and are being treated, while others were discharged after preliminary treatment, sources said.
Another source said a group of devotees, belonging to a cult, rushed through the crowd to make way, causing others to fall.
Police, however, denied any stampede-like situation and said CCTV footage of the incident will be examined.
Despite relentless spraying of water among the crowd by the fire services personnel, police and volunteers under extreme heat and humid conditions hundreds of devotees felt suffocation and needed medical help.
Medicos and support staff of at least 10 centres had little time for rest as every hour hundreds of devotees were brought in semi-conscious condition to first aid centres for medical care, said Debasis Mohanty, a businessman who is rendering services at a health care centre.
This apart, over 147 persons were treated in district headquarter hospital for dehydration and heat-related problems, hospital sources said.
Fortunately, no casualty was reported till the filling of this report.
Cold water fountains were operating in various places of the town. This apart, many MNCs have provided a huge number of water bottles.
A large quantity of cold water bottles were also distributed among devotees by NGO activists throughout the town.
An advisory for police was issued to carry at least five water bottles and ORS in their back pack to prevent dehydration and sun stroke. (UNI)
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