Key Points
- Nine devotees killed and several injured in stampede at Venkateswara Swamy Temple, Kashibugga, Srikakulam district during Dev Uthani Ekadashi celebrations
- Tragedy occurred Saturday morning, November 1, 2025, as thousands gathered for darshan during one of Hinduism’s most auspicious days
- Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu expresses shock, orders immediate medical treatment for injured and relief measures
- Agriculture Minister K. Atchannaidu rushes to site; additional police forces deployed for rescue and crowd control operations
- Incident follows recent Tamil Nadu stampede that killed 41 people, raising concerns about crowd management at religious events across India
Srikakulam: A devastating stampede at the Venkateswara Swamy Temple in Kashibugga, Srikakulam district, claimed nine lives on Saturday morning, November 1, 2025, as thousands of devotees converged for Dev Uthani Ekadashi celebrations. The tragedy unfolded during one of Hinduism’s most sacred occasions, turning a day of devotion into heartbreak for families across Andhra Pradesh.
Ekadashi Rush Triggers Fatal Overcrowding
The stampede erupted around midday near the temple’s main entrance when an estimated 5,000 devotees far exceeded the venue’s safe capacity, according to eyewitness reports. The heavy rush of pilgrims seeking darshan during the auspicious Ekadashi observance led to severe congestion, triggering sudden panic and chaos in the crowded premises.
According to the Chief Minister’s Office statement, the incident occurred as devotees assembled in massive numbers throughout the morning hours. The overcrowding resulted in a sudden stampede, with several devotees sustaining serious injuries in the melee. Among the deceased were elderly pilgrims and young parents whose simple pilgrimages ended tragically.
Witnesses described scenes of utter pandemonium, with families separated in the surge, desperate cries echoing through the temple complex, and emergency responders racing against time to pull devotees from the crush. The injured were immediately shifted to nearby hospitals for medical treatment as rescue operations intensified.
Chief Minister Expresses Grief, Orders Emergency Response
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu expressed profound shock and grief over the tragedy. “The stampede incident at the Venkateswara Temple in Kashibugga in Srikakulam district has caused a shock. The death of devotees in this tragic incident is extremely heartbreaking,” Naidu stated in a post on X.
The Chief Minister extended his deepest condolences to the bereaved families and issued immediate directives to officials. “I have instructed the officials to provide speedy and proper treatment to those who have been injured. I have requested the local officials and public representatives to visit the site of the incident and oversee the relief measures,” he added.
Officials fear the death toll may rise as several injured devotees remain in critical condition at area hospitals.
State Ministers Rush to Disaster Site
State Agriculture Minister K. Atchannaidu immediately rushed to the accident site upon receiving news of the stampede. He held extensive discussions with temple authorities and local officials to gather complete details about the incident and assess the situation on the ground.
Police teams and emergency personnel swiftly converged on the temple complex, bringing the situation under control while additional forces were deployed to manage the remaining crowd and assist in rescue operations. Authorities cordoned off the area as investigation teams and disaster response personnel continued working at the site.
Residents joined hands with police and health workers to help in rescue operations and provide support to victims’ families, demonstrating community solidarity in the face of tragedy.
Dev Uthani Ekadashi: Understanding the Sacred Occasion
The stampede occurred on Dev Uthani Ekadashi, also known as Prabodhini Ekadashi, one of the most significant festivals in Hinduism. The Ekadashi Tithi began at 09:11 AM on November 1, 2025, and ended at 07:31 AM on November 2, drawing devotees in unprecedented numbers.
This sacred day marks the awakening of Lord Vishnu after his four-month cosmic slumber on the serpent Sheshnag in Ksheer Sagar (the cosmic ocean). The four months, known as Chaturmas, is considered inauspicious for weddings, engagements, and other major ceremonies. Dev Uthani Ekadashi signals the resumption of all auspicious activities, making it an extraordinarily important observance for Hindu devotees.
According to Hindu scriptures, the spiritual merit of observing this Ekadashi fast equals performing many great sacrifices over an extended period. This theological significance explains why temples across India experience massive surges in devotee attendance on this particular day.
Kashibugga Temple’s Annual Ekadashi Challenge
The Venkateswara Swamy Temple in Kashibugga, located approximately 517.5 km from the state capital Amaravati, is a revered pilgrimage site known for its ancient idol. The temple witnesses unusually large turnouts during Ekadashi celebrations annually, with thousands arriving from surrounding villages since early morning.
Officials indicated that this year’s fervor overwhelmed even seasoned security measures deployed at the venue. Despite authorities deploying extra personnel anticipating heavy crowds, the swift escalation caught everyone unprepared as devotees continued arriving throughout the morning.
Growing Stampede Crisis Across India
This tragedy follows closely on the heels of a devastating stampede in neighboring Tamil Nadu that claimed 41 lives at a political rally just days earlier. The recurring pattern of crowd-related disasters at religious and public events has intensified calls for improved safety protocols nationwide.
According to National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) guidelines, danger increases sharply when crowd density exceeds five persons per square meter. Scientific crowd control focuses on regulating crowd density and movement patterns to prevent crushes and stampedes, particularly by avoiding bottlenecks, slopes, and counter-flows that create dangerous pressure buildups.
The NDMA advocates several preventive measures, including capacity planning with monitored visitor flow, establishing multiple entry and exit routes, deploying barriers and queue management systems, and conducting hazard and vulnerability analysis to identify high-risk zones. Real-time density monitoring using drones and ground-linked computer systems is considered a best practice that could prevent such tragedies.
Investigation Ordered, Questions Raised About Crowd Management
The state government has ordered an inquiry into the incident to determine the cause of overcrowding and assess lapses in crowd management protocols. Forensic teams began piecing together the sequence of events, probing failures in crowd flow management and exit point accessibility.
However, experts note that most crowd safety directions across Indian states remain administrative orders rather than statutory mandates, often issued reactively after specific tragedies. The absence of uniform legal backing continues to hinder consistent enforcement of crowd safety protocols across states, leaving pilgrims vulnerable to preventable disasters.
Event organizers should ensure continuous monitoring by trained crowd managers, establish one-way movement routes, provide multiple exits, and maintain emergency medical teams on standby. The recurring nature of stampede tragedies raises critical questions about whether India is doing enough to protect devotees during major religious observances.
