Badamba-Narsinghpur MLA and former minister Debi Prasad Mishra has confirmed that a woman has died in the race. He said that 45-year-old Anjana Swain died in the incident. While four are seriously injured who have been admitted to SCB Chikitsa Mahavidyalaya Hospital in Cuttack city. Mishra said the other injured have been admitted to a community center in Badamba.
Deputy District Magistrate of Athagarh Hemant Kumar Swain said that the crowd of devotees including women and children suddenly increased in the mela which led to the incident. Devotees came to see Lord Sinhanath. The district administration said that people came to the temple for darshan after two years due to Corona. Due to which the crowd was very high. He said that a large number of devotees from Cuttack, Khurda, Puri, Angul, Dhenkanal, Buddh and Nayagarh districts come for darshan.
District Collector of Cuttack Bhabani Shankar Chayani said, We have imposed 144 on the shrine for the next two days. 1.5 lakh people gathered for Makar Mela. We have given immediate financial assistance of Rs 10,000 to the injured and Rs 20,000 to the families of the deceased. A senior official of the district administration said that he did not expect such a large number of devotees to come.
