Kasibugga temple stampede: Andhra govt to take over private temple after 9 deaths

Kasibugga temple stampede

The Andhra Pradesh government is likely to take over the management of the Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple in Kasibugga, Srikakulam district, after a tragic stampede on Saturday morning claimed the lives of eight women and a child.

The incident has led to a state-wide review of safety arrangements at temples, with officials from the Endowments Department and other government offices assessing security and crowd management measures.

This is the third such tragedy in Andhra Pradesh this year. Before the Kasibugga tragedy, seven people were killed in April when a rain-soaked wall collapsed at the Sri Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy temple in Simhachalam near Visakhapatnam.

Earlier in January, six devotees had died and nearly 40 injured during a stampede at Bairagi Patteda in Tirupati, where hundreds had gathered for tickets to the Vaikunta Dwara Darshanam at the Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple on Tirumala hills.

The Endowments Minister Anam Ramanarayana Reddy said that the government would soon issue fresh safety guidelines for all temples, including those managed privately. “We have formed a full-fledged inquiry committee. The government is fully prepared to take over and develop the temple, which is not fully completed,” he was quoted by The Indian Express as saying.

“Special attention will also be paid to the security of temples not under the jurisdiction of the Endowment Department. Security and safety standards are mandatory during festivals. We will form an advisory committee and start the development of private temples. We will take appropriate measures for the safety of devotees, arrangements, entry routes, and emergency services. We will prepare a safety list of all temples, regardless of whether they are government or private,” he added.

According to the officials, 31 people were injured in the stampede. Except for three, all have been discharged from hospital. Two of the injured, who are in critical condition, have been shifted to GEMS Hospital in Srikakulam for advanced treatment.

The temple, which was privately built and opened only four months ago, has been temporarily closed. Its 90-year-old founder, Hari Mukunda Panda, has been booked for culpable homicide. A five-member team led by District Collector Swapnil Dinakar has begun a detailed probe into the incident and has already recorded statements from some of the injured devotees.

Minister Reddy said the temple would reopen only after consultations with priests and after ensuring that all safety measures are in place.