At least nine people — eight women and a boy — were killed, and many others were injured at a stampede which occurred at Venkateswara Swamy temple in Srikakulam district on Saturday.
Andhra Pradesh Home Minister Vangalapudi Anitha said the temple, a private one and not under the Endowments Department, usually witnesses a turnout of 1,500 to 2,000 devotees every Saturday. The tragedy was worsened by the Ekadasi observance coinciding with ‘Karthika Masam’, drawing large crowds. According to the minister, the temple is located at an elevation on the first floor, and when the devotees were climbing, the railing broke, resulting in the people standing at a corner falling on one another.
One of the survivors from Dharmapuram village near Ichchapuram said the approach to the temple is narrow, with only a single entry and exit point, which led to a buildup of devotees on both sides and resulted in chaos. At least seven of the dead are in the age group of 35-40. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, expressing grief over the incident, said a full-fledged inquiry will be conducted into the incident. The CM alleged that the tragedy took place due to a lack of orderliness and discipline.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the incident and announced an ex gratia of `2 lakh each from PMNRF to the next of kin of those who lost their lives and `2,000 to the injured. 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,” he said in a post on X. Union Home Minister Amit Shah also expressed shock over the incident.
Addressing a gathering in the Sri Sathya Sai district, Naidu blamed the organisers for not informing the police in advance, due to which adequate security measures could not be arranged. Srikakulam district Superintendent of Police (SP) KV Maheshwara Reddy said it is mandatory for temples (or religious institutions) to take permission from police when they are organising events, irrespective of the strength of the turnout.
“It is definitely mandatory under the Public Safety Act. They can ask for any number of people. It is not only 200 or 2,000 people. Even if 200 people come, they can inform us and we will assess the situation, based on that we will provide the bandobust,” Reddy said.
Incidentally, the police provided security to other temples in the North Andhra district on Saturday, but the SP said the owner of this particular temple, Mukunda Panda, failed to inform them. According to Reddy, Panda built the temple without the requisite permissions and opened it. Mukunda Panda, a 95-year-old man who built the temple, told the media that he did not expect so many people to turn up at the temple, as he had never witnessed huge crowds before.
A devotee said, “As people jostled, we fell. The steel grill was also very weak. As the grill) broke, which was held as a support, and all fell. Twenty of us came in two autorickshaws. I am an auto driver. I also went for darshanam. I was right there, and the boy (who died) was also under those grills.”
A doctor at a State-run hospital in Palasa said nearly 30 people came with injuries and breathlessness. Many people broke their limbs and were given first aid. Naidu directed officials to ensure better treatment for the injured persons. He also instructed the authorities and local leaders to monitor the relief work at the stampede site.