Stampede Tragedy In Andhra: 9 Devotees Dead In Temple Stampede On Holy Day

This special report covers the tragic stampede at the Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple in Kasibugga, Srikakulam, where nine devotees lost their lives and several others were injured during the auspicious Ekadashi festival. The incident has put a spotlight on crowd management at religious gatherings, with Andhra Pradesh's IT Minister Nara Lokesh expressing his shock and assuring government support for the victims. The minister stated, 'this is very shocking that this incident has taken place at the temple here.' Preliminary reports suggest the stampede was triggered when a railing collapsed under the pressure of a sudden surge of thousands of devotees, leading to chaos and tragedy. Authorities have launched an investigation into the incident to determine the lapses in crowd control and administration preparedness, as rescue and relief operations continue at the site.