At least 10 devotees have been confirmed dead in a stampede that occurred at the Venkateswara Swamy temple in Kasibugga, Srikakulam district, on Saturday. The tragedy struck amidst a massive gathering on the auspicious occasion of Ekadashi. The police and local authorities fear that the death toll may rise, as several of the injured are still in critical condition.
Overcrowding And Crowd Surge Blamed For Chaos
Police officials said the immediate cause of the deadly crush was a sudden, overwhelming crowd surge.
The Venkateswara Swamy temple witnessed a massive rush of devotees on Saturday owing to the festival of Ekadashi. This severe overcrowding quickly overwhelmed the premises, triggering panic and subsequently the stampede. The injured were immediately rushed to nearby hospitals for treatment, and a major police deployment was required to bring the situation under control.
9 people DIED and several others INJURED after a STAMPEDE at Venkateswara Swamy Mandir in Kasibugga, Srikakulam (Andhra Pradesh) during Ekadashi celebrations of devotees.
— PRAYERS pic.twitter.com/6owZPIdOxd
— Megh Updates (@MeghUpdates) November 1, 2025
Initial reports from authorities said poor crowd management and inadequate infrastructure may have contributed to the disaster. Sources also said the temple was a private shrine that had not sought official approval for the massive gathering.
Political Leaders Convey Grief And Order Aid
The tragic loss of life prompted immediate condolences from state leadership.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu also expressed deep anguish over the stampede on social media.
“Anguished by the stampede at Kasibugga Venkateswara temple in Srikakulam district. Very sad to know that devotees have lost their lives in this unfortunate incident. I convey my deepest sympathies to the families of the victims, ” he wrote.
State Agriculture Minister K Atchannaidu rushed to the accident site immediately and expressed deep shock at the scene. He met with the temple authorities and inquired into the details of the situation.
He ordered officials to ensure that the best medical treatment is provided to all the injured. Previous Crowd Control Failures The Srikakulam incident is the latest in a series of crowd control failures. Only two months earlier, a different crowd surge at an actor-politician Vijay’s rally in Karur, Tamil Nadu, caused multiple injuries.
In that case, investigations suggested overcrowding and the late arrival by the politician made the people, with a keenness to see him, surge towards stage barriers, leading to chaos and trampling.
ALSO READ | Andhra Pradesh Tragedy: Stampede At Venkateswara Swamy Temple, 10 Dead – All You Need To Know
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: ZEE News
