A festive day of prayers turned tragic in Andhra Pradesh’s Srikakulam district on Saturday when a stampede at the Kasibugga Venkateswara Swamy Temple left nine people dead , most of them women.

Andhra Pradesh Minister Nara Lokesh said an 'unknown amount of rush' at the shrine led to 'a lot of suffocation' and eventually triggered the deadly chaos.

Lokesh, accompanied by Union Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu, visited the injured at the local hospital and gave a detailed account of how the situation spiralled out of control.

“Today, being Ekadashi, like never before, pilgrims came here. This is a private temple, not under the jurisdiction of the Endowments Department. From morning 6 to noon, darshan happens, then resumes at 3 pm. There are two separate ways, one for entry, one for ex

See Full Page