Single Entry-Exit Route, Ongoing Construction, No Approval: What Led to Andhra Temple Stampede?

At least ten people were killed and several others injured in a stampede at Venkateswara temple in Srikakulam district on Saturday during Ekadashi celebrations. The stampede occurred at around 11.30 am at the temple whose

entry and exit gates were the same, leading to congestion due to large crowd in a limited space. "Total 10 deaths. Seven on the spot and three while undergoing treatment," Srikakulam District Collector Swapnil Dinkar Pundkar told PTI and added that most of the victims are women.The temple is a private shrine and has not been registered under the Endowments Department, sources told Times Now. The organisers had not taken any prior permission to hold the gathering and had not informed the state government, sources told Times Now. The sources further stated that the area where devotees had assembled was still under construction. "A large crowd reportedly surged forward when the temple opened, causing panic and rush in the entrance route. A railing collapsed under the crowd pressure, which triggered the panic. The same route was being used for both entry and exit," they said.

According to Home Minister Vangalapudi Anitha, the temple is located at an elevation on the first floor, and when the devotees were climbing, the railing broke off, resulting in the people standing at a corner falling off and others dropping on them. Observing that Kasibugga Venkateswara temple is a private one and not under the Endowments Department, Anitha said it is common to see 1,500 to 2,000 devotees turn up here every Saturday. She noted that the auspicious occasion of Ekadasi, coinciding with 'Karthika Masam' on a Saturday aggravated the tragedy as multitudes thronged the temple.Eyewitnesses said panic spread quickly as people struggled to move to safety amid the crush of the crowd. Reacting to the incident, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, in a post on X said, "The stampede at Kasibugga Venkateswara temple in Srikakulam district anguished me. It is very sad that devotees have died in this unfortunate incident. I convey my deepest sympathies to the families of the victims."The CM also said that he directed officials to ensure better treatment for the injured persons and added that he instructed the authorities and local leaders to monitor the relief work at the stampede site. TDP National Spokesperson Prem Kumar Jain said, "The stampede that occurred today at the Venkateswara Swamy Temple, resulting in the deaths of devotees, is a deeply tragic event. This tragic incident occurred due to the excessive crowds on the Ekadashi. This was a private temple. The temple did not inform the government or the police of any potential gathering. The area where this massive crowd gathered was under construction.""The injured have been admitted to a nearby hospital and are receiving full care. The police took immediate action and brought the situation under control, and the situation is normal..." he added. In a statement, the PMO said an ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh each would be given from the PM National Relief Fund to the next of kin of those who lost their lives in the tragedy. The injured would be given Rs 50,000, the PMO said.