Nine Killed in Crowd Crush at Andhra Pradesh Temple During Ekadashi
Preliminary findings point to a broken stairway railing during crowds far beyond the temple’s capacity.
Overview
- Authorities confirmed nine fatalities and more than two dozen injuries after the incident at the Swamy Venkateswara temple in Srikakulam.
- Eight of those who died were women and one was a child, according to a senior local official cited by the Associated Press.
- Police say an iron railing on a stairway gave way, setting off the deadly surge as worshippers gathered for the Ekadashi observance.
- State officials reported the site is certified for roughly 2,000 to 3,000 people but estimated about 25,000 arrived, and they faulted temple managers for not taking precautions or notifying the government.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu offered condolences, with the state ordering medical support for victims and an investigation into crowd-control failures.