Web Desk: At least nine people, including eight women and a young boy, were killed and more than 18 others injured on Saturday in a stampede at the Sri Venkateswara Swamy temple in Srikakulam, Andhra Pradesh, officials said. The incident occurred during Ekadashi, a sacred day for Hindus, when tens of thousands of devotees crowded the temple.
State Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan said the temple, which is privately managed, had not obtained official approvals and authorities were unaware of the event. “An inquiry will be conducted into this tragic incident,” Kalyan said, confirming the death toll.
Overcrowding and Structural Failure
According to local officials, nearly 25,000 people had gathered at the temple, which can safely hold only about 2,000. The crush began when a staircase railing collapsed under the weight of the crowd as devotees climbed to the temple’s elevated first floor. Two critically injured victims were transferred to a tertiary hospital for emergency care.
State Minister Anam Ramanarayana Reddy urged district authorities to ensure immediate medical assistance for the injured. The Prime Minister’s office expressed sorrow over the disaster and announced ex gratia payments of 200,000 Indian rupees ($2,260) to the families of the deceased and 50,000 rupees ($565) to those injured.
Authorities Pledge Accountability
Addressing a local gathering, Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu vowed strict action against those responsible for the stampede. Local authorities stressed that the temple lacked separate entry and exit points, which contributed to the chaos.
Part of a Broader Pattern
Saturday’s tragedy is the latest in a series of deadly crowd incidents and natural disasters in Andhra Pradesh this year. Earlier in January, six people died in a stampede at Tirupati, while in April, seven were killed when a wall collapsed at the Simhachalam temple near Visakhapatnam. Other calamities in recent weeks include a bus fire in Kurnool that killed 19 people and heavy losses from Cyclone Montha.
In 2025 alone, three major temple-related incidents in Andhra Pradesh have killed at least 22 people and injured nearly 100. Experts say these repeated tragedies highlight ongoing challenges in crowd management and disaster preparedness in the southern state.
