By News On Air Jul 17, 2026
Agartala, July 17 (FD) The annual Ratha Yatra celebrations in Tripura were overshadowed by tragedy and incidents of theft as a 19-year-old woman died while participating in the chariot procession in Dharmanagar, while several women reported the theft of gold ornaments during festivities in Agartala and other parts of the state.
The deceased, identified as Trisha Bhowmik (19), a resident of the Railway Gate area in Dharmanagar town, reportedly collapsed while pulling the ISKCON chariot during the Ratha Yatra procession on Thursday.
According to local sources, hundreds of devotees had joined the procession when Trisha suddenly fell unconscious as the chariot was passing through the town. She was immediately rushed to Dharmanagar District Hospital by family members and other devotees, where doctors declared her dead on arrival. The exact cause of her death is yet to be officially confirmed.
The incident cast a pall of gloom over the otherwise festive atmosphere, with devotees expressing shock over the sudden loss of the young participant.
Meanwhile, police have received multiple complaints of thefts targeting women devotees during the Ratha Yatra celebrations. According to police sources, at least 10 women reported that their gold ornaments, including chains, earrings and rings, were stolen while they were participating in the crowded processions in Agartala and other locations.
Victims told police they were unaware that the ornaments had been removed until after the procession, indicating that the thefts were carried out by skilled pickpockets taking advantage of the heavy crowd.
Police have registered cases based on the complaints and launched an investigation. Efforts are underway to identify the culprits and recover the stolen valuables, though no arrests had been made till the filing of this report.
The incidents have raised concerns over security arrangements during major religious gatherings, with many devotees urging authorities to strengthen surveillance and crowd management measures at such events to prevent similar occurrences in the future. FD JK