On November 1, 2025, a stampede at the Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple in Kashibugga village of Srikakulam district, Andhra Pradesh, left nine devotees dead and over thirty injured.
The tragedy occurred during the Karthika Ekadashi festival, a day known for heavy pilgrim influx. An estimated 25,000 devotees gathered in a temple designed for around 2,000, overwhelming its capacity and safety infrastructure.
The stampede was triggered by a collapse of weak steel railings and overcrowding at a narrow exit gate, causing devotees to fall from a height of roughly seven feet. Rescue operations were swiftly carried out, and an official inquiry is underway.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu condemned the incident, announced compensation for victims, and promised strict action against responsible parties, including the temple owner.
Overcrowding and Infrastructure Failures Lead to Chaos
The Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple, consecrated just four months prior on privately owned land by devotee Hari Mukunda Panda, was ill-prepared for the massive crowd it faced on Ekadashi. With an expected capacity of about 2,000 people, the presence of roughly 25,000 devotees created a severe safety hazard.
The stampede began near the temple’s narrow exit gate, which also served as an entry point, lacking separate routes to manage the flow.
According to the district Superintendent of Police KV Maheswara Reddy, the steel grill barricades at this site were weak, leading to a collapse under the pressure of the surging crowd. Several devotees fell from a seven-foot height onto the ground below, causing injuries and fatalities.
Survivors recalled moments of utter panic, describing how the sudden surge and the collapsed barricades led to people being trampled and unable to move. One witness reported seeing a woman dangling precariously due to the absence of proper railing support, while others screamed for help amid the crush.
The dead include eight women aged between 48 and 62, and a 13-year-old boy, with their identities confirmed by the local authorities, including Yeduru Chinnamma, Rapaka Vijaya, Muripinti Neelamma, and Lotla Nikhil among them. Many injured were rushed to hospitals like RIMS in Srikakulam, where critical cases continue to receive treatment.
Government and Official Responses
The state government swiftly reacted to the calamity. Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu expressed profound grief over the loss of lives and directed officials to ensure proper medical assistance for the injured. He also criticised the temple management for not informing police or local authorities about the expected large gathering, which deprived the area of adequate crowd control measures.
“A full-fledged inquiry will be conducted, and strict action will be taken against those responsible,” he said, underscoring the need for accountability.
The temple owner, Hari Mukunda Panda, now faces legal proceedings under culpable homicide charges, reflecting the serious concerns about negligence in safety management.
Additionally, the Endowments Minister and other officials have called for a review of safety standards at religious sites, with emphasis on ensuring separate entry and exit routes, stronger crowd control infrastructure, and better emergency preparedness during peak festivals.
Local authorities including the district collector Swapnal Dinakar Pundkar, Agriculture Minister K. Atchannaidu, and police officials were present at the site immediately after the incident to direct relief and investigation efforts. Additional police personnel were deployed to prevent further chaos as the community dealt with grief and shock.
The government announced compensation for the families of the deceased and committed to strengthening oversight of private temple management to prevent recurrence.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
This incident is a sobering reminder of the urgent need to balance the spiritual fervour that draws thousands to temples with the practical responsibilities of crowd safety and public order. Religious devotion should never come at the cost of human lives.
The tragic loss at Kashibugga temple echoes a pattern seen across pilgrim sites, where infrastructure and planning lag behind the scale of human participation. It is vital that temple authorities, local administrations, and community stakeholders collaborate in designing and enforcing robust safety protocols.
Only through transparent accountability, infrastructural improvements, and continuous risk assessment can sacred spaces be preserved as places of peace and collective harmony.
