In a disturbing turn of events, Puri Srimandir witnessed chaotic scenes on Sunday as massive crowds gathered during the ongoing Panchuka rituals, raising serious questions over the security and crowd management arrangements at the holy shrine.

According to reports, devotees broke through barricades and surged into the Jagannath Temple premises, creating panic and confusion. The situation worsened in the evening near the North Gate, where around 50 devotees allegedly forced their way inside, pushing down a barricade that had been set up exclusively for special guests.

Although police personnel were deployed at key entry points, eyewitnesses claimed that they were unable to control the swelling crowd, leading to a stampede-like situation. In the melee, two women devotees reportedly fell an

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