Andhra Pradesh: 9 Killed in Stampede at Venkateswara Temple in Srikakulam — South India Shaken Again

Srikakulam, Andhra Pradesh | Saturday, November 1, 2025:
A tragic stampede at the Venkateswara Swamy Temple in Kasibugga, Srikakulam district, has left nine devotees dead and several others injured, officials said. The incident occurred on Saturday morning when thousands of devotees had gathered at the temple for Ekadashi darshan.

The sudden surge of devotees is believed to have triggered the stampede, leaving the temple premises in chaos. Videos from the site show several devotees lying unconscious on the ground as others tried to revive them and rush them to nearby hospitals.

Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu’s Reaction

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu expressed deep grief over the tragedy.
He posted on X (formerly Twitter):

“The loss of lives in the Venkateswara Temple stampede is extremely heartbreaking. My deepest condolences to the families of the deceased. I’ve instructed officials to ensure immediate medical care for the injured and oversee relief measures at the site.”

Naidu has also directed local authorities and legislators to visit the temple and supervise the rescue and crowd management operations.

About the Temple

The Kasibugga Venkateswara Temple, spread over 12 acres, attracts thousands of pilgrims from across Andhra Pradesh and neighboring states. Saturday’s stampede occurred when the temple was packed with devotees marking the holy Ekadashi festival.

Recent Incidents Highlight Crowd Control Concerns

This tragedy comes just weeks after multiple stampede incidents rocked southern India:

Tamil Nadu: In October, 41 people were killed during a rally by actor-turned-politician Thalapathy Vijay.

Karnataka: In June, 11 people died and 56 were injured during a massive crowd surge at the RCB IPL victory celebration outside Bengaluru’s Chinnaswamy Stadium.

Earlier This Year: Andhra Pradesh witnessed two other deadly incidents — one at the Simhachalam Temple in April (7 deaths due to a wall collapse) and another in Tirupati in January, where six devotees died during special darshan ticket distribution.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi Condoles Loss

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed sorrow over the incident, announcing ₹2 lakh ex-gratia for the families of each deceased and ₹50,000 for the injured from the PM Relief Fund.

“Deeply saddened by the loss of lives in the stampede at Kasibugga Temple, Andhra Pradesh. My thoughts are with the bereaved families. Praying for the swift recovery of the injured,” PM Modi said.

Investigation Ordered

Authorities have launched an inquiry into the incident to determine whether inadequate crowd management or negligence played a role. Early reports suggest that insufficient barricading and lack of emergency exits may have worsened the situation.