Identity of 3 Puri victims unknown

BY RABINDRA NATH CHOUDHURY

Bhubaneswar

July 5: Three of the six victims in Friday’s tragedy during the Rath Yatra in Puri, 65 km from here, are yet to be identified.

"Only three of the six bodies received by us have been identified so far. Efforts are on to establish the identity of other three victims", doctors at the Puri Government Hospital said on Saturday. "We have asked the Puri district administration to take steps to identify these bodies", they added.

The tragedy occurred when thousands of pilgrims surged ahead in a narrow passage to touch the idols during their procession to the chariots parked in front of the Jagannath temple. Scores of them were also injured. Around 20 injured pilgrims are undergoing treatment in hospitals in Puri and Cuttack.

Preliminary inquiry indicated that the six devotees died of suffocation. Post-mortem and inquest of the bodies have already been performed. "We are waiting for the reports," the police said.

The Congress on Saturday demanded that criminal cases be registered against those responsible for the incident. "The Puri police should immediately register a case against CM Navin Patnaik, who holds home portfolio, state law minister, director general of police, home secretary, collector and superintendent of police of Puri district," said state NCP president Bijoy Mahapatra. Holding the six persons responsible for the alleged lapses on their part, the former minister criticised the government for the narrow passage.