SRIKAKULAM, ANDHRA PRADESH — The morning of November 1, 2025, turned tragic at the Sri Venkateshwara Swamy Temple in Kasibugga, Srikakulam district, when a sudden surge of devotees led to a stampede that claimed nine lives and injured several others. For 45-year-old K Ravi Naidu, a resident of Palasa, the turnout of 15,000 devotees was “totally unexpected,” leaving him and fellow worshippers horrified.

“There had hardly been any crowd initially. Even on festive days, the footfall never exceeded 400-500 people,” Naidu recalled. When he arrived at the temple for his usual morning darshan, he was “shocked to see the turnout of devotees.” By the time he came out, serpentine queues had formed at the entrance. Within minutes, jostling erupted among the crowd, triggering chaos.

Another witness described the catastrophic sequence in the women’s queue. “Barricades meant to control movement could not withstand the pressure and collapsed. Narrow passageways became deadly as thousands tried to push their way out. The barricades simply gave way,” the witness said on condition of anonymity.

Several survivors recounted the absence of any police or temple security to manage the crowd. R Meena, who visited the temple with her six-year-old son, said, “People were pushing and jostling. I managed to come out of the queue with great difficulty, without even getting the darshan.” Cherukupalli resident G Swathi described gasping for breath in the throng: “It was a horrific scene outside, with several women lying unconscious. There were no volunteers or security personnel to help the victims.”

Naidu attributed the unprecedented crowd surge to social media and local media coverage. The temple, privately constructed by Srikakulam resident Hari Mukund Panda, has been popularly called “Chinna Tirumala,” modeled on the Lord Venkateswara Swamy temple in Tirupati. A report from two years ago highlighted that Panda built the temple on his 12-acre property to provide devotees, who could not visit Tirumala, a local place for worship. “Several local digital channels and even mainstream media created enthusiasm among devotees,” Naidu said.

Panda, 80, expressed his heartbreak over the tragedy. “What can I do? I never expected so many people. We did not make any special arrangements for Ekadasi festival and hence did not inform the police,” he said. Panda admitted that he had anticipated around 2,000 devotees and had made arrangements for a much smaller crowd, including prasadam distribution.

Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu expressed deep sorrow over the incident, emphasizing the lack of official intimation to authorities. “Had they informed us, we would have provided police protection and controlled the crowd. Because of this lack of coordination, nine people lost their lives and five were injured,” he said. Naidu announced that a full-fledged inquiry will be conducted and strict action will be taken against those responsible.

Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan also expressed grief over the loss of lives, directing officials to ensure proper queue management, adequate police deployment, and medical assistance at temples with heavy footfall. State RTGS minister Nara Lokesh, who rushed to the mishap site, coordinated relief efforts alongside agriculture minister K Atchannaidu and local MLA Sirisha, assisting injured devotees.

Meanwhile, a political row erupted, with opposition leaders criticizing the government’s handling of public safety. Former minister and YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) leader Dharmana Prasada Rao blamed the ruling NDA for negligence. “Despite the sanctity and heavy footfall associated with Karthika Masam Ekadashi, the government failed to deploy adequate police and crowd management systems, leading to the loss of nine lives and injuries to several devotees,” he said.

Dharmana further criticized claims that the temple did not fall under the state endowments department, calling such arguments “shameful and insensitive.” He demanded immediate accountability and ex gratia payments of ₹25 lakh each to the families of the deceased, along with financial support for the injured.

A control room has been established at the Collectorate to coordinate the relief effort, ensuring injured devotees receive timely medical attention and support.

The Srikakulam stampede highlights the challenges of crowd management at private religious institutions, especially during festivals that attract unexpected footfall. Survivors’ testimonies suggest that a combination of unanticipated turnout, inadequate barricading, and absence of security personnel created a situation where a minor jostling quickly escalated into a deadly tragedy. Authorities and organizers now face scrutiny over planning, communication, and preparedness for large gatherings.

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