On November 1, 2025, what was meant to be a day of spiritual solace for thousands turned into tragedy at the Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple in Kasibugga, Srikakulam district, Andhra Pradesh. A stampede during the auspicious Ekadashi darshan claimed at least nine lives, including those of several women and two children, and left many others injured—an incident that has shocked the state and sparked national debate over safety at religious gatherings.
The disaster unfolded around 11:30 a.m. as a massive crowd surged toward the temple, locally known as "Chinna Tirupati" for its resemblance to the famed Tirumala Venkateswara Temple. According to The Indian Express, the temple had drawn an extraordinary number of devotees that morning, with estimates suggesting as many as 25,000 visitors—far surpassing the usual turnout of 10,000 to 15,000 on Saturdays. The rush was attributed to the significance of Ekadashi, a day considered highly auspicious by devotees.
The stampede began when one of the entry gates was closed, and a group of devotees, jostling for space on a staircase, fell after a grill gave way. Those below were crushed in the chaos. "With only one entrance and one exit, the situation turned chaotic when the gate was closed. Someone tripped on the steps, and it led to a cascading fall," Andhra Pradesh Minister Nara Lokesh explained to reporters, as cited by Gulf News. "Most of the victims were women." The narrow approach and lack of adequate ventilation worsened the suffocation, with many sustaining fractures and breathing difficulties.
The temple, a newly built structure just four months old, features a nine-foot-nine-inch tall "Ekashila idol" carved from a single stone after consultations with Vedic pandits. It was constructed on twelve acres of farmland by 94-year-old landlord Hari Mukunda Panda, who used only family funds for the project. As reported by The Indian Express, no public donations were collected, and the land was registered in the deity's name before construction began. The temple rapidly gained popularity among local devotees, many of whom work as farm laborers, auto rickshaw drivers, or small shopkeepers in the region. For them, the temple had become a place of hope and fulfillment—especially for those unable to afford a pilgrimage to Tirumala.
Yet, the temple's rapid rise in fame was not matched by adequate planning for crowd control. The structure lacked separate entry and exit points, and the area where the stampede occurred was still under construction. Makeshift railings and barricades, intended to manage the flow of people, proved insufficient against the overwhelming press of bodies. "The sprawling campus of the temple did not have separate entry and exit points. People were trying to leave the spot and enter the premises simultaneously," an official source told The Indian Express. A police official added, "The railings and the structures meant for crowd control appear to have been makeshift. They gave way when the crowd pressed against them."
Hari Mukunda Panda, the temple founder, admitted that the police had not been informed about the special event. "I built the temple on my private land. Why should I inform the police or administration?" he said, according to Gulf News. He insisted he had not anticipated such a surge in attendance: "Usually, devotees come one by one. But yesterday, many came together at once—we could not control it."
The aftermath was immediate and somber. Andhra Pradesh police barred further entry to the temple and began a full investigation. Panda was booked under charges of culpable homicide, with authorities examining three key aspects: the unexpected turnout, inadequate crowd control, and the failure to alert police about the event. Additional police forces were deployed, and the injured were rushed to nearby hospitals for treatment.
Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu expressed deep sorrow, observing a two-minute silence for the victims. He took to social media, stating, "The stampede incident at the Venkateswara Temple in Kasibugga in Srikakulam district has caused a shock. The death of devotees in this tragic incident is extremely heartbreaking. I express my deepest condolences to the families of the deceased. I have instructed the officials to provide speedy and proper treatment to those who have been injured." He also faulted temple authorities for not alerting police, asserting, "If officials had been informed, proper arrangements could have prevented this tragedy."
The tragedy drew swift responses from across India's political spectrum. Prime Minister Narendra Modi posted on X, "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." The Prime Minister's Office announced an ex gratia payment of Rs 2 lakh each to the families of the deceased and Rs 50,000 for the injured. President Droupadi Murmu, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, and party leader Rahul Gandhi all expressed their condolences and called for swift relief efforts. Telangana Jagruti President K Kavitha and Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan also voiced their sorrow and urged robust crowd management at temples during significant religious events.
Local leaders, too, were left reeling. Palasa MLA Gouthu Sireesha told ANI, "An unexpected bad incident happened. Nobody expected this because that temple opened four months back... Even the people of Palasa did not know about the temple. It was a mouth-to-mouth publicity. The temple has been constructed by a 94-year-old devotee in his own land... Today, he gave a statement that he didn't expect that 1,000-1,500 people would come... But today, because of the Ekadashi, an unexpected crowd came. There are twenty stairs, and the exit and entrance gates are side by side. People were in huge numbers, and the barricade fell down... Nine people died. Two are out of danger, and some 15 to 20 people have minor injuries. This shouldn't have happened. We are really sorry for the loss of the families."
Among the victims was Eduri Chinnama, a recently widowed woman from Rameshwara village, who had come to the temple to fulfill a religious vow. She had fasted until she could have darshan and was reportedly weak by the time she queued up. According to a family friend quoted by The Indian Express, "She was among the 3-4 women who fell when the railing broke and were trampled upon." Her story, and those of the other victims, has become a poignant symbol of the tragedy.
This incident is the latest in a string of deadly stampedes at religious sites in India in 2025. Earlier this year, similar tragedies occurred at the Prayag Maha Kumbh Mela in Uttar Pradesh, New Delhi railway station, Sree Lairai Devi temple in Goa, and Mansa Devi temple in Uttarakhand. Each event has raised urgent questions about crowd management, safety infrastructure, and the responsibilities of private temple authorities.
As the investigation continues and the temple remains closed, the people of Srikakulam and beyond are left grappling with grief and searching for answers. The tragedy at Chinna Tirupati stands as a stark reminder of the delicate balance between faith, tradition, and the imperative for modern safety standards at places of worship.
