A tragic stampede occurred at the Venkateswara Swamy Temple in Srikakulam, Andhra Pradesh, resulting in the deaths of nine devotees and injuries to many others. State minister Nara Lokesh explained that the incident was caused by an “unknown amount of rush” leading to “a lot of suffocation.” The temple, which had both entry and exit points, experienced issues when the entry was closed due to the massive crowd. Devotees attempted to use the exit route, causing panic and a dangerous crush. Minister Lokesh noted that the steps at the entry point also contributed to the cascading effect when someone fell. He also highlighted that the queue planners were unprepared for the volume of attendees.
The majority of the victims were women. Following the incident, the minister reported immediate coordination with local MLAs and the disaster management minister to manage the rescue operations effectively. He emphasized the team’s efforts to save as many lives as possible.
The Andhra Pradesh government stated that the stampede began as the temple gates opened, leading to a surge in the crowd and subsequent panic. An estimated 15,000 people were present at the time.
However, Srikakulam SP KV Maheswara Reddy provided a slightly different account, suggesting the incident was exacerbated by the temple having only a single entry and exit point. He also mentioned the collapse of an iron grill near the steps, which caused fear and panic among the attendees.
Former Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy criticized the state government’s handling of the situation, calling it inefficient and referencing previous tragedies. He stated, “This repeated loss of innocent lives reflects the inefficiency of Chandrababu Naidu’s administration.”