At least nine worshippers lost their lives and several others were injured in a stampede at the Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple in Andhra Pradesh’s Srikakulam district on Saturday.
The tragedy unfolded as a massive crowd gathered at the temple on Ekadashi, an auspicious day in the Hindu calendar, according to Pawan Kalyan, the state’s Deputy Chief Minister.
Kalyan announced that an investigation would be launched into the incident, noting that the temple was managed by private entities. He confirmed the death toll at nine.
State Minister Anam Ramanarayana Reddy stated that approximately 25,000 devotees were present in a space designed for just 2,000, leading to the fatal crush. District authorities have been instructed to ensure medical treatment for the injured.
A total of 18 injuries have been reported so far, the collector and magistrate of Srikakulam district Swapnil Dinkar Pundkar said, while two critically injured patients have been moved to a tertiary care hospital for treatment.
The government will pay compensation of INR200,000 ($2,300) to the families of the dead, and INR50,000 ($570) to the injured, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a post on X.
Source: The News