Review of crowd control at shrines in Odisha

BHUBANESWAR: Saturday's stampede near Singhanath temple in Cuttack district that left one devotee dead and many injured has prompted Odisha Police to reassess crowd control measures at famous shrines across the state, including the Jagannath Temple in Puri and Bhubaneswar's Lingaraj Temple.
"We have asked the SPs to remain vigilant and make adequate arrangements to control crowd at iconic temples as well as smaller shrines in the state. They should regularly assess their security measures, crowd control and traffic regulations. We expect better and prompt response from the local police during festivals," director general of police Sunil Kumar Bansal told TOI.

The response comes on a day when two women, including an elderly devotee, were admitted to the district headquarters hospital in Puri after they complained of suffocation amid a rush of devotees at Jagannath Temple early Sunday morning. The police, though, refuted allegations of stampede.
"There was no stampede. The temple recorded a huge turnout because it was a Sunday. Many devotees were waiting to catch a glimpse of the deities. Suddenly, our personnel spotted the two women devotees feeling uneasy. We immediately shifted them to hospital. They are safe and have been discharged," Puri superintendent of police (SP) Kanwar Vishal Singh said.
The Jagannath Temple had witnessed several stampedes during crowded festivals, including Rath Yatra, in the past. Besides, there have been instances of devotees feeling suffocated in the maddening rush on festive occasions.
The Puri SP said the police are fully prepared to regulate crowd. "Debasana Purnima, Rath Yatra and New Year celebrations were uneventful. Sufficient police force along with extensive barricading has been done and crowds are regulated and allowed to enter the temple in batches. We request devotees to be patient. They should cooperate with us. Our whole arrangement is devotee-oriented and motive is to ensure hassle-free darshan with special focus on senior citizens and children," Singh said.