Srikakulam, November 1: What began as a routine Saturday prayer turned into a day of mourning when nine devotees — eight women and a 12-year-old boy — lost their lives at the Venkateswara Swamy temple in Kasibugga town of Andhra Pradesh’s Srikakulam district after a railing collapse led to panic among the crowd.
According to police, the accident occurred around 11.30 am when the iron grill near the temple steps gave way under pressure. “People assumed something major was collapsing and rushed in fear, falling over each other from a height of nearly six feet,” said Kasibugga sub-division in-charge DSP Lakshman Rao.
Srikakulam SP KV Maheswara Reddy described the incident as “purely accidental.” “It is a private temple, constructed recently, and the management didn’t seek police permission or security arrangements,” he told PTI.
Home Minister Vangalapudi Anitha, who visited the site, said the temple typically attracts 1,500–2,000 devotees every Saturday. “The tragedy was amplified because Ekadasi coincided with Karthika Masam. The crowd was larger than usual,” she said, adding that at least five people were injured and are being treated.
Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu said he was anguished by the deaths and instructed local authorities to monitor relief work closely. “I convey my deepest sympathies to the bereaved families,” he said in a post on X.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also announced an ex-gratia of ₹2 lakh each from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund for the families of the deceased.
Officials confirmed that the temple management may face legal action for safety lapses and failure to seek required permissions.
