Single Entry-Exit, Ongoing Construction, Overcrowding: What Triggered The Deadly Andhra Temple Stampede That Killed 9

Venkateswara Swamy Temple Stampede: At least nine people, including two children, lost their lives in a stampede at the Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple in Kashibugga, Srikakulam district, Andhra Pradesh. What was meant to be a day of devotion turned tragic as preliminary findings revealed major lapses in planning, safety, and crowd management.

What Led To Venkateswara Swamy Temple Stampede?

Temple Operated Privately, Lacked Official Oversight

- Anam Ramanarayana Reddy, Andhra Pradesh’s Endowments Minister, confirmed that the temple where the tragedy occurred is not managed by the state government.

- “It is a private temple constructed by an individual named Harimukundapanda with his own funds on 12 acres of his own land,” Reddy said in a video posted by Andhra Pradesh government's fact-check department on X.

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- The organisers reportedly did not inform local authorities about the large gathering expected for Ekadashi, a day that typically draws thousands of devotees, leaving officials unprepared to manage the crowd, authorities said.

శ్రీకాకుళం జిల్లాలో తొక్కిసలాట జరిగిన కాశీబుగ్గ వెంకటేశ్వర ఆలయం ప్రభుత్వ నిర్వహణలో లేదు. ఈ ప్రైవేట్ ఆలయం దేవాదాయ శాఖ ఆధీనంలో లేదు. హరిముకుంద్‌పండా అనే ఒక వ్యక్తి తనకు చెందిన 12 ఎకరాల సొంత భూమిలో తన సొంత నిధులతో నిర్మించిన ఒక ప్రైవేటు దేవాలయం. ఈ దేవాలయ సామర్థ్యం 2,000 నుంచి 3,000… pic.twitter.com/mFAkzgHeGM

— FactCheck.AP.Gov.in (@FactCheckAPGov) November 1, 2025

Under-Construction Zone Turned Into Disaster Site

- According to the authorities, the portion of the temple where the crowd had gathered was under construction, posing a significant risk for the large crowd.

- Despite incomplete work and safety risks, the temple authorities continued to allow devotees to enter the area.

- “The railings and the structures meant for crowd control appear to have been makeshift. They gave way when the crowd pressed against them,” the official said.

- Preliminary report also revealed that no official approvals were sought for the event, and the district administration was unaware of the scale of the gathering.

ALSO READ: Venkateswara Swamy Temple Stampede: Scary Visual Shows Devotees Struggling To Escape, Screaming For Help | Video

Overcrowding On Ekadashi Led To Stampede

- The authorities further stated that the Venkateswara Swamy Temple has a capacity to handle a maximum of 2,000 to 3,000 devotees. The sudden influx of 25,000 devotees on Ekdashi exceeded its capacity, leading to the stampede.

- “The capacity of this temple is only up to 2,000 to 3,000 people. Today, being Ekadashi, up to 25,000 people arrived all at once. Arrangements were not made accordingly... nor was information provided to the government by the concerned individual. This is the reason for the accident that occurred,” the Andhra Pradesh Endowments Minister further stated.

Single Entry And Exit Point Exacerbated Chaos

- Another possible factor that contributed to the tragedy was that the temple’s entry and exit points were the same.

- As devotees tried to flee the crush, congestion and confusion intensified. Family members rushing to help those who had fallen were themselves caught in the surge.

- The use of a single access point intensified the panic, severely hampering rescue operations and turning the narrow passageways into a deadly bottleneck.

The tragedy at Venkateswara Swamy Temple has prompted widespread criticism and calls for enhanced regulation of private temples to ensure the safety of devotees.