Death of Woman Devotee Due to ‘Suffocation’ After Suna Besha Darshan of Deities in Puri

Puri: A 22-year-old woman from Bhubaneswar tragically lost her life after experiencing suffocation following her darshan of Lord Jagannath and the Holy siblings during the Suna Besha in Puri.

The deceased was identified as Sanghamitra Barik

The incident occurred yesterday, prompting an investigation into the cause of her untimely demise. Sanghamitra, the daughter of Sharat Chandra Barik from Cuttack district’s Salipur area, had visited Puri specifically for the Suna Besha.

After observing the deities adorned with gold ornaments atop chariots in the evening, Sanghamitra began feeling unwell as she was returning to her relative’s home in the pilgrim town. Her family promptly rushed her to Puri DHH (District Headquarters Hospital), where the doctors, unfortunately, declared her deceased.

While the grieving family asserted that Sanghamitra’s death resulted from suffocation due to the overwhelming crowd during the Suna Besha event outside the Jagannath Temple.

However, the police authorities refuted these claims. They maintained that the exact cause of her death would be determined following a post-mortem examination.