Nine Dead in Srikakulam Temple Stampede: Chief Minister Naidu Blames Temple Authorities for Tragedy

Hyderabad:

Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu has attributed responsibility to the temple management after nine devotees perished in a stampede at a newly built shrine in Andhra Pradesh's Srikakulam this morning. Speaking later at a public gathering in Sri Sathya Sai district, he emphasized that while the state government is dedicated to protecting lives, actions by certain individuals are resulting in such tragic incidents.

The fatal incident at the Sri Venkateswara Swamy temple in Kasibugga happened during a massive influx of worshippers celebrating Ekadashi, a sacred day in Hindu tradition. The casualties included eight women and one child.

"Regrettably, the event organizers failed to notify the police or local authorities. Had they informed us, we would have deployed police protection and implemented crowd management. Nine lives were lost, and five people sustained injuries. This is deeply troubling. While I'm striving to safeguard every life during a cyclone, certain private individuals are conducting such activities," the Chief Minister stated.

YSRCP leader Jagan Mohan Reddy criticized the Naidu administration for negligence and alleged its failure to implement adequate precautions despite previous similar tragedies. "This recurring loss of innocent lives demonstrates the incompetence of Chandrababu Naidu's government," remarked the former chief minister.

The temple, commonly referred to as 'Mini Tirupati,' is under private ownership rather than state management through the government's Endowments Department. Government officials indicated that the temple authorities neglected to inform local administration about the anticipated crowd for Ekadashi. Additionally, it was noted that construction work remained incomplete at the temple, which featured only a single entrance-exit point.

Later at the Peddala Sevalo program in Peddannavaripalli, Naidu mentioned that the disaster could have been prevented if police had been notified about the gathering. He also observed a two-minute silence honoring the victims and expressed his sorrow regarding the tragedy.

"It's unfortunate that this accident occurred in a privately constructed temple. Prior notification to police would have enabled proper queue management for devotees," the chief minister remarked.

He further guaranteed a comprehensive investigation and promised stringent measures against those found responsible.