The two women, aged around 65 and 45 years, were killed at a stampede that occurred near Marichikote Square on Grand Road while Lord Balabhadra's Taladhwaja chariot was being pulled. There were also stampedes at other points. Only two injured have been identified. They are Sagarika Mandal and Sanjay Praharaj who have been shifted to SCB Medical College and Hospital, Cuttack, as their condition is critical.

According to reports, mismanagement of the crowds by the police, who pushed away devotees like cattle to adhere to its previously prepared grids, led to the mishaps.

In another mishap, a pilgrim died whie taking bath on the Puri beach. Two others were killed when they fell from a running train en route to the Puri festival.

The temple town was charged up with ecstatic devotees going wild crying ‘Haribol’ and ‘Jai Jagannath’ and dancing as the Nabakalebar Rath Yatra festivities began in Puri on Saturday. The deities of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra are taken in a yatra to Gundicha temple for a 9-day sojourn after which the idols are carried back to the Jagannath temple's sanctum sanctorum.

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan and Union Tourism Minister Mahesh Sharma took part in the pulling of the raths during the Nabakalebar Rath Yatra.

Elaborate security arrangements had been made, deploying 10,000 police personnel. Air and coastal surveillance was also being done. Personnel of the Anti-Terrotist Squad (ATS), Rapid Action Force (RAF) and sharp-shooters have been deployed along the route of the Rath Yatra. The Coast Guard keeps a vigil along the coastline.

This year's Rath Yatra has been described as significant as the deities of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra got new idols carved out of specially chosen trees from various places. These rituals and ceremonies, called Nabakalebar, comes after a gap of about two decades.