Andhra Pradesh government announces Rs 15 lakh aid to families of deceased; Rs 3 lakh to critically injured

Hyderabad: Andhra Pradesh Minister for Education and IT Nara Lokesh on Saturday said that government would give Rs 15 lakh each to the families of the deceased in the Srikakulam temple stampede incident. Rs 3 lakh each to those critically injured and Rs 10,000 towards funeral expenses will also be given.

Lokesh on Saturday evening visited Kashibugga in Srikakulam district following the tragic stampede at the privately constructed Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple, which claimed nine lives and left 15 devotees injured.

The Prime Minister’s Office also announced additional relief of Rs 2 lakh for the families of the deceased and Rs 50,000 for the injured.

Minister Lokesh further stated that three of the deceased were Telugu Desam Party members, whose families will receive an additional Rs 5 lakh each from the party’s insurance policy.

During the visit, he inspected the site of the incident, reviewed the rescue and relief measures, and later interacted with the media in Palasa.

Minister Lokesh stated that the temple, built privately by 94-year-old philanthropist Mr Panda, had conducted the Ekadashi celebrations without obtaining any permission from the district administration or police.

“This was a privately built temple, not under the Endowments Department. The organisers did not inform the authorities or seek permission to hold the event. Because of this, no police or crowd control arrangements were made. The sudden influx of devotees led to the tragic incident,” Lokesh said.

He explained that the stampede occurred near a narrow staircase when devotees attempted to enter as others were exiting.

“Around 11:30 a.m., devotees waiting outside began moving in as the temple was about to close for the afternoon break. Those on the upper steps fell onto others below, leading to a chain reaction and larger chaos,” he said.

Minister Lokesh said that as soon as information about the tragedy reached him, he contacted local leaders and officials to initiate immediate rescue efforts.

“I spoke to MLA Sireesha and Minister Atchennaidu, who reached the site promptly. Rescue and relief operations began immediately, and the injured were shifted to the Palasa Community Health Centre and Srikakulam JIMS Hospital for treatment,” he said.

Minister Lokesh informed that the government is taking the incident seriously and will introduce continuous monitoring of privately constructed temples.

“Chief Minister Naidu has instructed all District Collectors and Superintendents of Police to compile data on all temples, both under the Endowments Department and privately managed ones, including their major festival days and estimated footfall. CCTV cameras and crowd management systems will be made mandatory,” he said.

He added that the Endowments Department has been directed to prepare Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for privately run temples to ensure safety during large gatherings.

“The government will ensure that private temples coordinate with local authorities before holding public events,” he said.

He further described the incident as “deeply unfortunate and preventable” and said the government would take every step to prevent any recurrence.

“After the Chief Minister’s review and the completion of official reports, the Cabinet will take decisions on the future course of action,” he said.

Lokesh also visited the injured devotees at the Palasa CHC, enquired about their treatment and recovery, and assured all necessary support. He expressed condolences to the bereaved families and said that the government stands firmly with them in this moment of grief.

“The temple founder, Mr Panda, had noble intentions in building this shrine. However, proper precautions were not taken. We will learn from this tragedy and ensure stronger safety measures at all religious events,” he said.