Eight women and a child were crushed to death in stampede in Srikakulam

Hyderabad: In a ghastly incident, nine devotees, including eight women and a 12 years old boy were killed during a stampede at a temple in Kasibugga town of Srikakulam district around noon on Saturday (November 1).

The death toll was likely to go up as the rescue operations were still underway.

An official release by the State government said a large crowd surged forward when the temple of Venkateshwara Swamy opened, causing panic at the entrance route. A railing collapsed under the weight of the crowd which triggered panic. The same route was being used for both entry and exit.

It is a newly built temple

Considered ‘Chinna Tirupati’ (Little Tirupati), the temple was privately constructed and inaugurated four months ago. Quoting the report of the local Mandal Revenue Officer, the statement said about 15,000 devotees were present on the occasion.

Seven persons died on the spot and fifteen others who were shifted to the Community Health Centre at Palasa, two succumbed to injuries. Three persons were in serious condition and ten reported to be stable. Against 1,500 to 2,000 devotees who generally visited the temple every weekend, the rush on Saturday was attributed to the auspicious occasion of Ekadasi, during which the holy Kartika Masam, the eighth month in the Telugu calendar year. The occasion is dedicated to rituals for Lord Vishnu on this day. Devotees observe fast and throng temples for darshan.

Rush of devotees unexpected. Reacting to the incident, Andhra Pradesh Home Minister V. Anita said the temple is located on the first floor of the newly constructed building. It had a flight of twenty steps leading up to the temple. A railing that served as the parapet for the staircase collapsed in the rush of devotees as they headed upstairs. A stampede ensued as the devotees came crashing down.

The temple trustee Hari Mukund Panda said such a huge rush was unexpected as the premises was new and the staff lacked foresight into footfalls for an occasion like Ekadasi during the month of Karteeka. That was the reason why the police were not alerted to make the security arrangements.

PM reacts, ex-gratia announced

Senior police and revenue officials rushed to the spot. Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed anguish over the incident even as his office announced an ex-gratia of Rs. two lakh to the kin of dead and Rs. 50,000 to the injured.

The PMO posted on X: “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.

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.

An ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh each from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of those who…

— PMO India (@PMOIndia) November 1, 2025

An ex-gratia of Rs. two lakh each from Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund would be given to the next of kin of those who lost their lives. The injured would be given Rs. 50,000: PM@narendramodi”. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and Union Home Minister Amit Shah also conveyed their condolences to the bereaved family.

Civil Aviation Minister K. Rammohan Naidu who hails from Srikakulam cut short his tour in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, and rushed to his native district. Andhra Pradesh Minister for Information Technology Nara Lokesh also left for Kasibugga.

Get the latest updates in Hyderabad City News, Technology, Entertainment, Sports, Politics and Top Stories on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. You can also download our app for Android and iOS.