The Odisha government confirms that two devotees die during the annual Rath Yatra at Puri. State officials deny reports that the incident was caused by a stampede or an event resembling a stampede, according to NDTV and Scroll.in. Scroll.in reports that the government describes the deaths as occurring after an “unprecedented rush” during the Rath Yatra, while reiterating that there was no stampede. NDTV similarly says the state has confirmed the two deaths and rejects claims of a stampede-like situation. Both accounts present the same core information: the fatalities are officially acknowledged, and the government’s position is that the crowd movement during the festival did not amount to a stampede. The reports do not provide additional details in the information shared, such as the identities of the deceased, the exact locations of the incident within the festival grounds, or any findings from an investigation. Overall, the coverage centers on the confirmed death toll of two and the dispute over whether the event involved a stampede.