Kasibugga, Andhra Pradesh, November 2, 2025: At least nine devotees lost their lives and several others were injured in a tragic stampede at the Venkateswara Swamy temple in Kasibugga, Srikakulam district, on Saturday. The incident occurred during the Ekadashi observance, a significant religious occasion, when the temple saw an unprecedented surge of devotees, far exceeding its capacity.

The Sequence of Events

Authorities reported that the stampede began as thousands of devotees surged forward when the temple gates opened, triggering panic among the crowd. The temple, which is privately run, has a first-floor elevation, and as devotees climbed to reach the shrine, a railing collapsed, causing people near the corner to fall. The fall of the initial devotees set off a chain reaction as others toppled over them, resulting in the deadly crush.

Srikakulam SP KV Maheswara Reddy noted that the temple had only one entry and exit point, which significantly worsened the situation. “There is only one entry and exit. The incident occurred due to the collapse of an iron grill near the steps. The public, in fear, thought that something was falling and panicked. They fell from a height of about six feet. Since the collapse was from a height, one person fell on another, and that led to the incident,” he explained.

Overwhelming Devotee Turnout

The Andhra Pradesh government highlighted that the temple’s capacity is limited to 2,000–3,000 people, but on Saturday, nearly 15,000 to 25,000 devotees had arrived without prior coordination with authorities. Minister for Endowments Anam Ramanarayana emphasized that the temple is privately owned and not managed by the government’s Endowments Department, which further complicated crowd management and preventive measures.

Home Minister Vangalapudi Anitha explained that the unusual turnout was partly due to Ekadashi coinciding with Karthika Masam on a Saturday, attracting devotees in large numbers. The combination of festival significance and inadequate arrangements contributed to the scale of the tragedy.

Government Response and Relief Measures

Expressing grief over the incident, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu extended condolences on social media, stating, “The stampede at Kasibugga Venkateswara temple in Srikakulam district anguished me. It is very sad that devotees have died in this unfortunate incident. I convey my deepest sympathies to the families of the victims.”

Naidu directed officials to ensure prompt medical care for the injured and instructed local authorities to monitor relief and rescue operations. Both President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi also expressed condolences over the loss of lives.

Political Reactions

Former Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy strongly criticized the state government for negligence, citing previous incidents at other temples. He highlighted that similar tragedies had occurred before—six devotees died during Vaikuntha Ekadashi in Tirupati, and seven at Simhachalam temple—yet adequate preventive measures were not implemented.

“This repeated loss of innocent lives reflects the inefficiency of Chandrababu Naidu’s administration,” Reddy said, urging corrective action to prevent similar incidents in the future.

Causes of the Stampede

Based on official statements and eyewitness accounts, several factors contributed to the tragedy:

1. Single Entry and Exit Point: The temple’s layout, with only one access route, limited crowd movement and caused bottlenecks.
2. Collapse of Railing: The structural failure of an iron railing on the elevated premises triggered panic and falls.
3. Overcrowding: The temple’s intended capacity is around 2,000–3,000 people, but the crowd on Saturday surged to over 15,000, overwhelming safety measures.
4. Festival Timing: The coincidence of Ekadashi and Karthika Masam on a weekend led to unusually high attendance.
5. Lack of Coordination: As a privately managed temple, the authorities were not informed in advance, which prevented proper crowd control arrangements.

Lessons and Future Precautions

Officials have indicated that the tragedy could have been avoided with better coordination between temple authorities and local administration. Moving forward, lessons from this incident may include:

• Establishing multiple entry and exit points at crowded religious sites.
• Reinforcing physical infrastructure like railings and staircases to withstand large crowds.
• Coordinating with government authorities to anticipate crowd surges during festivals.
• Implementing emergency protocols and crowd management strategies for privately-run temples hosting large events.

The Kasibugga tragedy serves as a grim reminder of the risks associated with overcrowding at religious events, especially in privately managed venues. Authorities have pledged to review safety norms and ensure stricter enforcement to prevent similar incidents in the future.