Andhra Temple Tragedy: Police Arrest One For Culpable Homicide, Say Railing Collapse Triggered Crush

People carry an injured person after rescuing them from a stampede-like situation in Andhra Pradesh’s Srikakulam’s Kasibugga. (IMAGE: News18)

Andhra Pradesh police on Saturday arrested one person for culpable homicide after a stampede at a temple in Andhra Pradesh’s Kasibugga district killed at least nine people and injured over 15 others.

Police officials told CNN-News18 that they are not calling the crowd crush a stampede but an accident.

Speaking to CNN-News18, Srikakulam Superintendent of Police KV Maheswara Reddy said that a six-foot iron railing collapsed during the temple’s Ekadashi celebrations, triggering a sudden rush among devotees. “It was not a stampede but an accident. A six-foot railing gave way, and that led to the tragic situation,” the SP said.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu said that the tragedy in Kasibugga town occurred at a privately constructed Venkateswara Temple, which saw large crowds on the occasion of Karthika Masam. Naidu noted that the temple authorities had not informed the police, otherwise security arrangements could have been made to manage the crowd. “Because of overcrowding, nine people died and five others were injured,” he said, adding that the incident will be taken very seriously and those responsible will be taken into custody immediately.

Reddy also confirmed that no prior permission or security arrangements had been sought by the organisers for the gathering. “No permission or previous bandobast was requested from the police. Additional forces were sent once we received information, and deployment was made, but no one expected such a large crowd,” he added.

It should be noted that Andhra Pradesh Minister Kondapalli Srinivas also told CNN-News18 that while the temple can typically hold 3,000 to 5,000 devotees, over 25,000 people had gathered on Saturday to offer puja on the auspicious occasion of Ekadashi.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the deaths and announced an ex-gratia for the victims’ families. “Pained by the stampede in Venkateswara Swamy Temple in Srikakulam. My thoughts are with those who have lost their near and dear ones. I pray that the injured recover soon,” the Prime Minister said in a post on X. An ex-gratia of ₹2 lakh each from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF) will be given to the families of those who died, while ₹50,000 will be provided to the injured.