At least nine devotees, most of them women and children, were killed in a stampede at the Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple in Andhra Pradesh’s Srikakulam district early on Saturday morning. Several others were injured in the mishap that occurred amid a massive rush of worshippers on the occasion of Ekadashi, an auspicious day for Hindus.
According to officials, the stampede broke out as hundreds of devotees thronged the temple premises in Kasibugga to offer prayers. Rescue operations are still underway, and authorities fear the death toll could rise further.
Disturbing visuals from the scene showed chaos and overcrowding on a narrow staircase, with scores of women carrying puja baskets jostling in panic. In the aftermath, several bodies lay scattered across the temple grounds while medical workers attempted to revive the injured. Many unconscious women were carried to ambulances as volunteers and police tried to bring the situation under control.
Police teams and emergency responders rushed to the spot, eventually managing to disperse the crowd and begin rescue efforts. The injured were immediately shifted to nearby hospitals for treatment.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed deep grief over the loss of lives and announced financial assistance 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 near and dear ones. I pray that the injured recover soon,” the Prime Minister said. “An ex-gratia of ₹2 lakh each from the PMNRF will be given to the next of kin of those who lost their lives. The injured will receive ₹50,000 each,” he added.
The Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple is a private shrine, not under the jurisdiction of the Endowments Department. It was inaugurated only a year ago and reportedly held the large gathering without prior government permission. According to reports, the section where devotees had assembled was still under construction, and with both entry and exit points being the same, the situation quickly spiralled out of control.
The Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) said that police and emergency teams were deployed immediately. State Agriculture Minister K. Atchannaidu visited the site soon after the incident and met temple authorities to review the situation. Additional police forces were later deployed to assist with relief efforts and manage the crowd.
Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu described the tragedy as “extremely heartbreaking” and expressed condolences to the bereaved families. “The stampede incident at the Venkateswara Temple in Kasibugga, Srikakulam district, has caused great shock. The death of devotees in this tragic incident is deeply distressing,” Naidu said. “I have instructed officials to provide swift and proper medical care to the injured. Local officials and public representatives have been asked to visit the site and oversee relief measures,” he added.
Andhra Pradesh Real-Time Governance Minister Nara Lokesh, who is also the Chief Minister’s son, is coordinating the state’s response and travelling to the site to oversee rescue and relief operations.
In a post on X, Lokesh wrote, “A deep sorrow has gripped us on this Ekadashi day. I extend my deepest condolences to the families of those who lost their lives. The government is providing the best medical treatment to those injured in the stampede.” He added that he had spoken with senior officials and the local MLA, directing that immediate assistance be extended to all those affected by the tragedy.
