9 people killed in Andhra temple stampede

At least nine people—eight women and a boy—were killed and many others injured at a stampede which occurred at Venkateswara Swamy temple here in Srikakulam district on Saturday.
Earlier, Srikakulam District Collector Swapnil Dinkar Pundkar put the toll at 10.
State home minister Vangalapudi Anitha said the temple, a private one and not under the Endowments Department, usually witnesses a turnout of 1,500 to 2,000 devotees here every Saturday.
The tragedy was worsened by the Ekadasi observance coinciding with ‘Karthika Masam’, drawing large crowds. At least seven of the dead are in the age group of 35-40.
According to the minister, the temple is located at an elevation on the first floor, and when the devotees were climbing, the railing broke, resulting in the people standing at a corner falling on one another.
Police said it is mandatory for temples (or religious institutions) to take permission from police when they are organising events, irrespective of the strength of the turnout.
It is definitely mandatory under the Public Safety Act. They can ask for any number of people. It is not that only 200 or 2,000 people. Even if 200 people come, they can inform us and we will assess the situation, based on that we will provide the bandobust, police told PTI.
Incidentally, the police provided security to other temples in the North Andhra district today, but the police said the owner of this particular temple, Mukunda Panda, failed to inform them.
According to police, Panda built the temple without the requisite permissions and opened it.
Meanwhile, police said cases are being registered under culpable homicide charges.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the incident and announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh each from PMNRF to the next of kin of those who lost their lives and Rs 2,000 to the injured.
Reacting to the incident, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, in a post on X conveyed deepest sympathies to the families of the victims.
CM also said that he directed officials to ensure better treatment for the injured persons. He instructed the authorities and local leaders to monitor the relief work at the stampede site.