10 dead in stampede at Kashibugga Venkateswara Swamy Temple in Andhra Pradesh's Srikakula; PM announces compensation
PTC Web Desk: A tragic stampede at Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple in Kasibugga, located in Srikakulam district of Andhra Pradesh, claimed the lives of at least 10 devotees, most of them women and children, early Saturday morning. The disaster took place amid a massive rush of devotees gathered to offer prayers on Ekadashi, a sacred day for Hindus.
Eyewitnesses described scenes of chaos and panic as the crowd swelled on the temple staircase. Disturbing visuals from the site showed hundreds of women holding puja baskets struggling to escape the crush, with several people collapsing due to suffocation. Bodies of devotees were later seen lying across the temple premises, while an injured woman was spotted crying for help as others attempted to rescue those trapped in the crowd.
Local residents and volunteers rushed to assist the injured, carrying several victims to ambulances as medical teams tried to revive those who had fallen unconscious. Police and emergency personnel soon arrived at the scene to control the situation and disperse the crowd.
Temple not under govt management
According to officials, the Kasibugga temple is privately managed and does not fall under the Andhra Pradesh Endowments Department, which oversees thousands of temples across the state. Government sources revealed that the temple authorities had not notified the district administration about the expected surge of devotees for the Ekadashi event. Compounding the problem, construction work was ongoing in the area where the stampede occurred, making crowd movement even more difficult.
Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu expressed deep sorrow over the loss of lives, calling the incident “heartbreaking.” He said, “The stampede at the Venkateswara Temple in Kasibugga has caused immense grief. The death of devotees in this tragic event is extremely painful. I extend my condolences to the families of the deceased and have instructed officials to provide immediate and quality medical care to the injured.”
Naidu also directed local authorities and elected representatives to visit the site and supervise ongoing relief and rescue operations.
Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan said he was “deeply distressed” by the tragedy and assured that a high-level inquiry would be conducted. “The government has instructed district officials to initiate immediate relief measures and extend full support to the affected families,” he said.
Highlighting the need for improved crowd management, Pawan Kalyan urged officials to ensure proper arrangements at temples that witness heavy footfall during the Karthika month. “When large gatherings are expected, adequate police deployment, queue systems, and medical facilities must be arranged to ensure devotees’ safety,” he emphasised.
Financial assistance for victims
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the deaths and announced financial aid for the victims’ families. “Pained by the stampede in Venkateswara Swamy Temple in Srikakulam, Andhra Pradesh. My thoughts are with those who have lost their loved ones. An ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF) will be provided to the next of kin of those who lost their lives, and Rs 50,000 for the injured,” the Prime Minister said in a post.
Governor S. Abdul Nazeer also expressed anguish over the incident and directed the district administration to ensure the injured receive the best possible medical care.
- With inputs from agencies
