Aravind Agrawal Appointed to Oversee Rath Yatra After Puri Stampede

Bhubaneswar: In the wake of the tragic stampede near the Shree Gundicha Temple in Puri that claimed three lives, the Odisha government has deputed senior IAS officer Aravind Agrawal to oversee the ongoing Rath Yatra festivities.

The General Administration and Public Grievance Department issued an official order on Saturday appointing Agrawal, who currently serves as Commissioner-cum-Secretary to the Higher Education Department, for the overall supervision of the annual Car Festival in Puri.

The decision comes a day after the stampede incident at Saradhabali, where thousands had gathered to witness Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Devi Subhadra on their chariots. The situation turned tragic early Sunday morning, leading to multiple injuries and the loss of three lives.

In a swift administrative response, the state government transferred Puri Collector Siddharth Shankar Swain and Superintendent of Police Vinit Agrawal. IAS officer Chanchal Rana has been appointed as the new Puri Collector, while IPS officer Pinak Mishra takes over as SP.

Notably, Aravind Agrawal, a 2007-batch Odisha cadre IAS officer, has prior experience managing Rath Yatra duties, having earlier served as Puri Collector. His deputation is seen as a move to ensure smooth coordination and improved crowd management for the remaining rituals of the festival, including Adapa Bije, Bahuda Yatra, and Suna Besha.