According to officials, the stampede took place when a large crowd of worshippers tried to enter the temple early in the morning. In the chaos, several people were trampled as the crowd surged forward.
Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan confirmed the casualties and said that an investigation will be carried out to determine what led to the incident. He added that rescue operations were launched immediately, and the injured were taken to nearby hospitals for treatment.
Witnesses described scenes of panic as people struggled to escape the crowd. Some local volunteers and temple staff helped move the injured to safety before emergency teams arrived.
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Authorities said additional safety measures will be implemented to prevent such tragedies in the future, especially during major religious events that draw huge gatherings.
The temple stampede in Andhra Pradesh highlights the urgent need for better crowd management at large religious gatherings. Such events, often driven by devotion and excitement, can turn dangerous without proper planning. A mix of faith and fear created chaos here — a lesson for authorities to prioritize safety over numbers during festivals.
"An inquiry will be conducted into the tragic incident," Kalyan said in a statement, adding that the temple was run by private individuals. He put the death toll at nine.
As many as 25,000 devotees crowded into the temple, which can accommodate only about 2,000, leading to the crush, state minister Anam Ramanarayana Reddy added, while district officials have been told to provide the injured with medical help.
A total of 18 injuries have been reported so far, the collector and magistrate of Srikakulam district Swapnil Dinkar Pundkar said, while two critically injured patients have been moved to a tertiary care hospital for treatment.
The government will pay compensation of 200,000 rupees ($2,300) to the families of the dead, and 50,000 rupees ($570) to the injured, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in a post on X.
