A tragic stampede at the Sri Venkateswara Swamy temple in Kasibuga, Andhra Pradesh, has claimed the lives of nine people and left several others injured. The deadly incident occurred during a Hindu religious ceremony on Saturday, drawing tens of thousands of devotees to the temple premises.
According to local authorities, nearly 25,000 worshippers had gathered at the venue, far exceeding the temple’s capacity. The crowd congestion became unmanageable when a railing reportedly collapsed as devotees attempted to climb to the elevated first-floor section of the temple. The lack of proper crowd management and infrastructure quickly turned the scene chaotic, resulting in a deadly crush.
Among the victims were eight women and a young boy, while several others sustained injuries, some of them critical. Emergency responders and local volunteers rushed to provide medical assistance and transport the injured to nearby hospitals. Officials have confirmed that an inquiry will be launched to determine the cause of the tragedy and identify those responsible.
Early reports indicate that the temple was privately managed and not registered under the state’s official endowments department. The organizers allegedly failed to obtain necessary permissions and did not inform local authorities about the large-scale gathering. This lack of coordination meant that no official security or crowd-control measures were in place, leaving thousands of devotees vulnerable.
In response to the disaster, the government has announced compensation for the victims’ families. Families of the deceased will receive 200,000 rupees, while those injured will be granted 50,000 rupees. State leaders have expressed deep sorrow over the loss of life and promised strict action against those found negligent.
This incident adds to a growing list of deadly stampedes across India in recent years, particularly during religious or political gatherings. In September, a similar crowd crush at a political rally in Tamil Nadu claimed dozens of lives, while another tragedy in June killed 11 people outside a cricket stadium in Karnataka.
Experts have repeatedly called for stronger safety protocols and mandatory crowd management training for event organizers. As India continues to witness mass gatherings at temples and festivals, the latest tragedy serves as a painful reminder of the urgent need for proper planning, regulation, and accountability to prevent such avoidable loss of life in the future.
