New Delhi [India], November 1 : Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu has assured that strict action will be taken against those responsible for the Srikakulam temple stampede, which claimed nine lives.
Naidu observed a moment of silence for the victims and expressed deep anguish over the tragedy. He instructed officials to provide speedy and proper treatment to the injured and requested local officials and public representatives to visit the site and oversee relief measures.
Meanwhile, the opposition YSR Congress Party has hit back at the government, with former Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy slamming the government over the incident. Reddy attributed the tragedy to the negligence of Chandrababu Naidu's government, questioning the preparedness and safety measures in place for large crowds.
Chandrababu Naidu observed a two-minute silence as a mark of respect for the victims who lost their lives in the Srikakulam stampede incident at Sri Venkateswara Swamy temple in Kasibugga.
Naidu observed a moment of silence for the stampede victims, along with the people gathered at Praja Vedika, after which he expressed deep anguish over the tragedy. He stated that the incident that occurred at Kashibugga was extremely painful.
Speaking at an event in Peddannavaripalli of Sri Sathya Sai district, the CM conveyed his heartfelt condolences to the families of the deceased and expressed his profound sorrow over the tragedy.
Naidu said that during the recent cyclone, due to proper pre-planning, the government was able to prevent major loss of lives, but it was deeply distressing that so many people lost their lives in the stampede.
He remarked that it was unfortunate that the tragedy occurred in a temple built by a private individual.
The CM stated that if the police had been informed in advance, they could have controlled the crowd through proper queue arrangements. He added that while the government is making every effort to protect the lives of people, such incidents occur due to the irresponsible actions of some private individuals.
The Chief Minister announced that strict action would be taken against those responsible for the incident and confirmed that they were being taken into custody immediately.
Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan informed that a child was also among the nine deceased. He said that it has deeply shaken the state and country.
"It is extremely tragic that 9 devotees lost their lives in a stampede that occurred due to thousands of devotees thronging for darshan of Lord Venkateswara at the Sri Venkateswara Swamy temple in Palasa-Kasibugga town, Srikakulam district, on the occasion of Ekadashi. The fact that a child was also among them has deeply shaken us," Kalyan, Janasena Party founder, posted on X.
Andhra Pradesh Human Resources Development Minister Lokesh Nara on Saturday evening visited the mishap site, and said that an "unknown amount of rush" at Kasibugga temple led to a "lot of suffocation", which resulted in the stampede due to a lack of crowd management.
"Today, being Ekadashi, like never before, pilgrims came here. They wanted to take the blessings of the Lord. This is a private temple. From morning 6 to afternoon 12, they perform darshans. Then, they take a break, and again at 3 pm, they reopen the temple. The temple has clearly 2 ways - one is entry and the other is exit," Nara told reporters after meeting the injured at a hospital in Srikakulam.
Union Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu, Andhra Pradesh Home Minister Anitha Vangalapudi and TDP MLA Gouthu Sireesha accompanied Lokesh Nara.
Sireesha said that the Sri Venkateswara Swamy temple in Kasibugga opened only four months ago, and the 94-year-old devotee who constructed the temple on his land didn't expect such an influx of crowds.
Speaking to reporters, Sireesha said that around 1,000 to 1,500 devotees visited the temple due to Ekadashi, which was an unexpected turnout.
"An unexpected bad incident happened. Nobody expected this, as the temple had only been open for four months. Even the people of Palasa were unaware of the temple. It was a mouth-to-mouth publicity. The temple was constructed by a 94-year-old devotee on his own land. Today, he gave a statement saying he didn't expect 1,000-1,500 people to come. But today, because of the Ekadashi, an unexpected crowd came," the Palasa MLA said.
"There are twenty stairs, and the exit and entrance gates are side by side. People were in huge numbers, and the barricade fell down. Nine people died. Two are out of danger, and some 15 to 20 people have minor injuries. This shouldn't have happened. We are really sorry for the loss of the families," she added.
However, the opposition YSR Congress Party attacked the Chandrababu Naidu government, saying that the temple tragedies under the coalition "echo Chandrababu's past record". YSRCP stated that these were "state-sponsored deaths caused by negligence".
YSR Congress Party leader and former Andhra Pradesh Minister Vellampalli Srinivas today lashed out at Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu after nine people were killed in the Srikakulam stampede.
"Whether a temple is public or private, ensuring safety and crowd control is the government's responsibility. Can the state abandon devotees just because a temple isn't under its Department?" he told reporters here.
He said the temple tragedies under the coalition "echo Chandrababu's past record", reminding that "29 devotees lost their lives in the 2015 Godavari Pushkaram stampede, which was caused by Chandrababu's obsession with publicity and event-shooting," the release said.
"This government has no devotion to God, no concern for devotees, only an appetite for publicity," he remarked. "Is intelligence being used only to target YSRCP leaders instead of protecting the public?" he asked.
He alleged that the state government's negligence caused the deaths.
"Devotees go to temples seeking blessings, not death. These are state-sponsored deaths caused by negligence. If people cannot return safely after darshan, what kind of governance is this?" he asserted.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed condolences to the victims of the Venkateswara Swamy Temple stampede in Srikulam, Andhra Pradesh, on Saturday. He announced that an ex-gratia payment of Rs. 2 lakh each from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund (PMNRF) would be offered to the kin of the victims. The injured individuals will also be provided with Rs. 50,000.
"Pained by the stampede in Venkateswara Swamy Temple in Srikakulam, Andhra Pradesh. My thoughts are with those who have lost their near and dear ones. I pray that the injured recover soon. An ex-gratia of Rs. 2 lakh each from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of those who lost their lives. The injured would be given Rs. 50,000: PM @narendramodi," the Prime Minister's office wrote on X.
The incident occurred on Saturday as a large crowd gathered at the temple on the occasion of Ekadashi. The heavy rush of devotees led to overcrowding, resulting in a sudden stampede. The injured were immediately shifted to nearby hospitals for treatment.
Police rushed to the spot and brought the situation under control. The entire area is in deep sorrow following the tragedy.