Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: At least nine devotees, mostly women and children, lost their lives in a tragic stampede at the Venkateswara Swamy Temple in Kasibugga in Andhra Pradesh’s Srikakulam district during the Ekadashi celebrations on November 1. A massive gathering of worshippers led to chaos and panic which finally resulted in the stampede. Disturbing visuals from the temple premises showed bodies of devotees lying on the ground as rescue teams and locals rushed to help the injured. Earlier, videos from the temple showed massive overcrowding, with hundreds of women holding puja baskets jostling on a staircase in a frantic attempt to save themselves.
PM Modi expressed his grief over the incident and announced compensation for the victims. “Pained by the stampede in Venkateswara Swamy Temple in Srikakulam, Andhra Pradesh. My thoughts are with those who have lost their near and dear ones. I pray that the injured recover soon,” he said, the PMO said in an X post. The PM also announced ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh each from the PMNRF to be given to the next of kin of those who lost their lives, while the injured would be given Rs. 50,000 Union.
Home Minister Amit Shah termed the incident deeply saddening. “Deeply saddened by the tragic loss of lives in the stampede at the Kashibugga Venkateswara Swamy Temple in Srikakulam, Andhra Pradesh. My condolences to the families of the devotees who lost their lives. Praying that the injured may recover at the earliest,” he said in a post on X. Andhra Pradesh Governor, Justice S. Abdul Nazeer (retd), expressed anguish and profound grief on the death of the pilgrims, due to the heavy rush, the Andhra Raj Bhavan said on X.
