A stampede-like situation erupted during Shreya Ghoshal’s live performance at Cuttack’s Bali Jatra when an overwhelming crowd surged toward the stage, causing two people to faint and forcing organizers to temporarily halt the show.
November 14, 2025: A highly anticipated concert by renowned Bollywood playback singer Shreya Ghoshal on the concluding day of the historic Bali Jatra festival in Cuttack, Odisha, turned chaotic last evening due to a massive, uncontrolled crowd surge.
The situation spiraled into a near-stampede as thousands of eager fans rushed the stage barricades soon after Ghoshal appeared for her live performance. District administration officials confirmed the commotion led to the concert being temporarily halted while police intervened to restore order.
Fainting and Minor Injuries Reported
Amid the aggressive pushing and shoving, reports confirmed that two individuals, including a woman, fainted due to suffocation and panic. Medical personnel attended to them immediately at the on-site first aid center before they were shifted to SCB Medical College and Hospital for further observation.
While reports from eyewitnesses and some media suggested chaos and a stampede-like situation, Cuttack Police Commissioner S Dev Datta Singh moved to downplay the severity of the incident.
S Dev Datta Singh (Police Commissioner): “There was no unpleasant situation. It is true that there was a huge crowd, but we managed it properly. One person sustained a minor injury and is stable.”
The police utilized public address systems to appeal for calm, and senior officials were monitoring the situation from a control room before reaching the venue to personally take charge. The concert resumed once order was successfully restored.
Earlier in the day, the singer had expressed her excitement on social media, interacting with fans during an #AskShreya session where she discussed her love for traditional Odia food like Chena Poda and Dahibara Aludum. However, Ghoshal has yet to release an official statement regarding the incident.
The event, which drew a massive crowd, has highlighted significant challenges in crowd management, particularly at large-scale cultural events like the nine-day Bali Jatra festival.