Bhubaneswar: Two women were killed and 10 other people were injured in a stampede during the Rath Yatra in Odisha's temple city of Puri on Saturday, police said.
The stampede occurred during the pulling of the chariots of the deities -- Lord Jagannath, Balaram and Subhadra -- between the Market and Balagandi Chhaks areas.
"We came to know from hospital sources that one woman, about 65 years old, was killed while some have sustained serious injuries," Director General of Police Sanjeev Marik told IANS.
The police chief said two critically injured people were taken to the SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack, while the others were taken to a hospital in Puri.
While one woman was killed near Balagandi square when Lord Balabhadra's chariot "Taladhwaja" was passing through the area on the Grand Road, another died in a similar incident near Marichkot Chak, police said.
The injured were admitted to the district headquarters hospital here and two of them were later shifted to the SCB Medical College and Hospital at Cuttack, it said.
The stampede was the result of a sudden surge in the crowd surrounding the chariot as it was proceeding towards the Gundicha Temple, police said adding details are awaited.
The identity of the deceased, aged around 60 years, is yet to be ascertained.
