Overview
- The crush occurred around 11:30 am during Ekadashi at the Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple in Srikakulam district.
- The governor confirmed nine deaths as police pointed to a collapsed iron railing, a single entry–exit route, and an area still under construction.
- The Prime Minister’s Office announced ex-gratia payments of Rs 2 lakh for the next of kin of the deceased and Rs 50,000 for the injured.
- Police have registered a case against temple owner Hari Mukunda Panda on culpable-homicide-related charges, with criminal and administrative probes underway.
- Crowd estimates reached about 25,000, most victims were women with a 12-year-old boy among the dead, and the injured were taken to nearby hospitals for treatment.