At Least One Dead, Nearly 100 Hospitalized in India Rath Yatra Stampede

According to Lianhe Zaobao citing Reuters, a stampede during the chariot festival in the eastern Indian city of Puri left at least one person dead and nearly 100 others injured and taken to hospital. Thousands of devotees had gathered on Thursday, July 16, at the Jagannath temple in Odisha state for the annual Jagannath Rath Yatra, one of India's largest and most revered festivals. Festival police officer Sumerendra Priyadarshi said one person died of a heart attack, while fire and emergency services official Umashankar Dash said nearly 100 people were sent to hospital with breathing difficulties. Odisha police said rescue workers provided first aid and oxygen to the devotees.