9 Dead, 17 Injured in Stampede at Venkateswara Temple in Andhra Pradesh on Ekadashi

A horrible event happened in Andhra Pradesh's Srikakulam district early Saturday morning when a rush of people at the newly constructed Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple in Kasibugga resulted in the death of nine worshipers, eight of whom were women and the other a child. Furthermore, approximately 17 other people were hurt during the tumultuous event which occurred on Ekadashi, one of the most sacred days in the Hindu calendar.

⚠️ Temple Stampede on Ekadashi

The temple videos showed extreme overcrowding, hundreds of litters with puja baskets had to use a staircase and the women carrying them were unable to easily go up and down. The situation was made worse by people pushing and honking for space, causing people to collapse and be stepped over in the surge.

Injured devotees were begging for help, while some were trying to pull out those who were trapped in the crush. They were aided by locals and volunteers who came to help, extracting people and taking the unconscious to ambulances waiting for them.

Police arrived later to the incident and to control the situation.

🛕 Temple Not Under Government Control

The Kasibugga Venkateswara Temple, also known as "Mini Tirupati," is privately operated and is not subject to the state's Endowments Department. The officials said that the temple management had not notified the district administration about the large crowd expected on Ekadashi.

The fact that some parts of the temple complex were still under construction aggravated the situation, and the use of only one entrance and exit point made the crowd even more difficult to manage.

🏥 Rescue Efforts and Government Response

The Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu was “heartbroken” at the tragedy and expressed great sorrow. He told the officials to make sure that the injured people were getting fast medical treatment and also to investigate right away the reasons for the tragedy.

The Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan termed the stampede “awfully upsetting” and assured that the government would provide total support to the families of the deceased. “An investigation will be held to reveal shortcomings and make sure there is accountability,” he stated.

Minister Nara Lokesh who is on his way to Srikakulam said he is “very stunned” and he has ordered the local authorities to give all the help and financial support that the victims' families need.

💰 Compensation Announced

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has shared in the mourning of the dead and has given out a compensation of ₹2 lakh each to the families of the deceased and ₹50,000 to the injured under the PM National Relief Fund.

“Shocked by the stampede in Venkateswara Swamy Temple in Srikakulam, Andhra Pradesh. My sympathies are with the families who have lost members. I am hoping for the quick healing of the injured,” PM Modi said.

Governor S. Abdul Nazeer also felt sorry for the people and told the district administration to make sure that the injured devotees are given the best medical care available.

🚨 Call for Safety Reforms

The tragedy also sparked Deputy CM Pawan Kalyan's call to the Endowments Department for better crowd control during the Karthik month when temples attract huge crowds. He stressed the necessity for the presence of sufficient police, medical camps, and multiple entrances and exits to temple premises to avert such disasters in the future.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah also extended his sympathy with the victims’ families, branding the catastrophe as “extremely depressing” and praying for the injured to recover quickly.

🕯️ A Black Day in Srikakulam

The occurrence has turned Andhra Pradesh's day of worship and prayer into one of mourning. Investigations are still being conducted but they will most likely lead to the questioning of the temple's safety measures as well as the accountability for the tragic loss of lives.