A massive crowd gathered at the Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple in Andhra Pradesh’s Srikakulam district on Ekadashi, leading to a deadly stampede. Disturbing visuals from the site showed hundreds of women trapped in a narrow corridor, clutching puja baskets and crying for help as the crowd surged forward.

Some devotees tried to climb railings to escape the crush, while others attempted to pull people to safety. Witnesses said the chaos began when thousands of worshippers flooded the temple’s narrow passageways at once. The heavy rush left several people suffocated and trampled.

Videos circulating online also showed relatives desperately performing CPR and rubbing the palms of victims in a last effort to revive them. The tragedy is among the worst temple accidents the region has seen in recent years.

Chief Minister’s Reaction

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu expressed deep sorrow over the deaths, describing the incident as “heartbreaking.”

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), he wrote, “The stampede incident at the Venkateswara Temple in Kashibugga, Srikakulam, has caused a shock. The death of devotees in this tragic incident is extremely heartbreaking. I express my deepest condolences to the families of the deceased.”

శ్రీకాకుళం జిల్లాలోని  కాశీబుగ్గ వెంకటేశ్వర ఆలయంలో తొక్కిసలాట ఘటన కలచివేసింది. ఈ దురదృష్టకర ఘటనలో భక్తులు మరణించడం అత్యంత విషాదకరం. మృతుల కుటుంబాలకు ప్రగాఢ సానుభూతిని తెలియజేస్తున్నాను. గాయాల పాలైన వారికి మేలైన సత్వర చికిత్స అందించాలని అధికారులను ఆదేశించాను. ఘటనా స్థలానికి వెళ్లి…

— N Chandrababu Naidu (@ncbn) November 1, 2025

Naidu directed officials to provide immediate medical help to the injured and ordered local authorities to oversee rescue and relief efforts. He also urged them to offer every possible assistance to the victims’ families.

Governor Expresses Condolences

Governor S. Abdul Nazeer also expressed grief over the tragedy. The Raj Bhavan released a statement saying, “Governor Sri Abdul Nazeer offered his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family members and directed the district administration to provide better medical care to the injured pilgrims.”

Situation in the Temple Town

Rescue operations continued late into the night as the temple town remained tense. Police and emergency teams worked to control the crowd and assist those affected. Authorities have begun an inquiry into how the situation spiraled out of control despite the large turnout being expected for the Ekadashi festival.