Nine Killed in Stampede at Kasibugga Temple in Srikakulam

Tragedy struck the famous Shivalayam at Kasibugga in Srikakulam district on Saturday, as nine people were killed in a stampede. Preliminary reports indicate that scores of devotees had thronged the temple on the occasion of Ekadasi, considered an auspicious day during the Karthik month.

Heart-wrenching visuals from the site depict the struggle devotees faced to free themselves from the swelling crowd. Among the deceased were children, and the toll is expected to rise further. Early reports suggest the stampede was triggered when a railing gave way due to the pressure of the crowd. Devotees in two queues—exiting and entering the temple—stormed the area where the incident occurred.

Footage showed a mother crying inconsolably as her daughter lay unconscious at the site. The tragedy has once again drawn criticism towards the TDP-led NDA government for failing to implement proper crowd management measures. Under the TDP government, this is the second major temple stampede this year. In January, a stampede occurred in Tirupati near a token distribution centre for Vaikunta Ekadashi at the Venkateswara Swamy Temple, claiming at least six lives.

One devotee described the harrowing experience: “We came to see God, but such a tragedy has happened. People have died.” YSRCP senior leader and former Minister Seediri Appalaraju, a doctor by profession, rushed to the site with his team to provide rescue assistance and first aid.

The State government, led by Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, has faced backlash for its delayed response. Devotees have alleged that no police or medical units were stationed, despite the temple attracting large crowds every Ekadasi in the Karthik month. The Kasibugga Shivalayam, often called Chinna Tirupati, holds immense reverence and importance in the region.