A high-level probe panel headed by Development Commissioner Anu Garg has held seven senior police officers directly responsible for the June 29, 2025, stampede during Puri’s Rath Yatra that claimed three lives near Gundicha temple, recommending disciplinary proceedings and the blacklisting of the AI-camera surveillance firm. The report, submitted on November 9, 2025, highlighted catastrophic failures in crowd management, communication breakdowns with Shree Jagannath Temple Administration, and the absence of key officers from duty posts during critical hours.

The panel singled out then Puri SP for overall lapses in force deployment across Srimandir, Gundicha Temple, the chariot site, and Badadanda. Most damningly, OSAP 3rd Battalion Commandant Ajay Kumar Padhi and Commissionerate Police DCP (HQ) Vishnu Prasad Pati—tasked with managing crowds in front of the chariots—were found physically absent from their stations; both remain under suspension.

Commandant of Swatantra Shree Mandir Surakshya Vahini Tapas Ranjan Das, Deputy Commandant KK Nayak, and City DSP Prasanta Kumar Sahoo were indicted for failing to coordinate ritual timings, alert the control room about delays during ‘Dwaraphita’, or warn of dangerous congestion that triggered the fatal crush.

Investigators noted that officers never informed the control room about surging crowds or ritual postponements, allowing thousands to pile up unchecked. The AI-powered surveillance system meant to provide real-time monitoring was deemed ineffective, prompting a recommendation to permanently blacklist the contracted firm. The report stressed that timely liaison with temple sevayats could have averted the tragedy.

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The findings have triggered shock in Odisha, renewing demands for structural overhaul of Rath Yatra security protocols. With millions expected for the 2026 festival, authorities face mounting pressure to implement the panel’s recommendations, overhaul crowd-control SOPs, and restore public faith in one of India’s largest religious gatherings. Disciplinary proceedings against the seven officers are set to begin immediately.

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