Overview
- Stampede erupted around 11:30 am during Ekadashi at the Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple in Kasibugga, Srikakulam district, as thousands converged on the site.
- Governor S. Abdul Nazeer confirmed nine deaths, while the Srikakulam district collector put the toll at 10; officials said most victims were women and one victim was a 12-year-old boy.
- Officials cited severe overcrowding at a privately managed shrine that was not under the Endowments Department, with a single entry–exit route through an area under construction.
- Witness accounts and police reports pointed to a railing collapse near the steps that triggered panic and falls, with rescue teams moving the injured to nearby hospitals.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced ex-gratia payments of Rs 2 lakh for next of kin and Rs 50,000 for the injured, as Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu ordered a full inquiry and warned of action against those responsible.