Tragedy at Andhra Pradesh's 'Mini Tirupati': 9 Dead in Temple Stampede Due to Inadequate Crowd Management

Nov 01, 2025 07:27 pm CST

A deadly stampede at the Sri Venkateswara Swamy temple in Srikakulam, Andhra Pradesh claimed nine lives and injured 15 others during Ekadashi celebrations. The privately-owned temple, known as "Chinna Tirupati," opened just four months ago and lacked proper crowd management for the unexpected rush of 25,000 devotees to a facility designed to accommodate only 3,000 people. Officials cite the narrow single entry-exit point and lack of advance notification to authorities as key factors in the tragedy.