Bhubaneswar, July 7 (UNI) Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has announced an ex gratia of Rs.4 lakh to the next kin of a devotee who died during a stampede in Puri car festival on Sunday.
Majhi expressed his deep grief over the death of a devotee who has been identified as Lalit Bagarti from Saintala in Bolangir district.
The Chief Minister also expressed condolences to the bereaved family members and directed the district administration to provide free treatment to the injured devotees.
Sources said a stampede took place near the Hindi school on the Grand road as there was a mad rush among the devotees to pull the Taladhwaja chariot of Lord Balavadra.
Bagarti and a few others fell on the ground in the stampede and they were immediately rushed to the district headquarters hospital where the doctors declared Bagarti as dead.
Four others also injured in the mishap were admitted to the hospital.
Odisha Health and Family Welfare Minister Mukesh Mahaling and the secretary for health went to the district headquarters hospital (DHH) and met injured persons.
Two of the injured women are in serious condition, Mahaling told media persons .He said the injured will be provided free treatment.
The health secretary said three persons were declared dead by the doctors at the hospital during the day adding that the cause of their death will be known after the post mortem.
He said over seven hundred persons came for treatment today to the District Headquarters hospital and most of them were suffering from breathing issues and dehydration.
Several people came from the sea beach area and most of them were released after first aid while 250 persons, mostly women, were treated in the hospital.
Local MLA Sunil Mohanty and Revenue Minister Suresh Pujari also visited the hospital and interacted with doctors and patients and their relatives.
