Event in the state of Andhra Pradesh attracted almost ten times the venue’s maximum capacity; Security fence failure led to fatal stampede
A religious celebration ended in tragedy this Saturday (1st) in the south of . At least nine people died, including eight women and a child, and dozens were injured after a stampede at the Swamy Venkateswara temple, located in the state of Andhra Pradesh.
The incident occurred during the holy day of Ekadasi, when a crowd of worshipers gathered at the entrance to the temple. According to authorities, an iron fence used to organize the queue gave way under public pressure, which triggered an uncontrolled rush.
The main cause of the tragedy was overcrowding. The temple, which is privately run, has a capacity for only 3,000 people, but the event attracted around 25,000 devotees. The local government reported that it was not communicated about the scale of the celebration, resulting in an insufficient security scheme for the number of participants.
In addition to the nine fatal victims, 16 other people were hospitalized, with two of them in critical condition. 20 believers who went into a state of shock are being monitored in another health unit. Images from the Indian press showed devotees trying to help people who fainted amid the confusion.
The Prime Minister of India, , and the Governor of Andhra Pradesh, N. Chandrababu Naidu, expressed condolences to the families of the victims. Naidu said that a rigorous investigation will be launched to identify and punish those responsible for the failure in the organization.
Fatal accidents caused by crowds at temples and pilgrimages are common in India, where millions of people usually gather for religious celebrations.
