The 94-year-old founder of the Sri Venkateswara Swamy temple in Srikakulam District has denied responsibility for the tragic stampede that claimed the lives of nine devotees, asserting that the congregation rushed forward of their own accord. The founder, Mukunda Panda, also admitted that he had not notified the police beforehand, expecting the gathering to proceed as usual and not anticipating such a vast crowd on Saturday. Nine individuals — comprising eight women and one boy — died, and numerous others were injured in the crush at the temple, which was constructed by Panda on his own land. The situation was exacerbated by the fact that the gathering coincided with the religious observance of Ekadashi during 'Karthika Masam', which drew unusually large numbers.
Speaking to the media, the temple priest, Mukunda Panda, lamented, “What should I do if so many people come at once? I usually send everyone in line but yesterday there were so many people. I don't know what happened exactly, but I did not inform any police." He insisted, “I have courage, I told everyone to go in a queue line. People came for darshan — what can I do if they rushed and the situation turned like this?” He added that he remained at the location until 3 PM without eating, even as the police arrived to control the crowds.
Srikakulam District Superintendent of Police, KV Maheshwara Reddy, told reporters that the temple, which is owned by Mukunda Panda, was neither converted for non-agricultural use nor registered with the Endowments Department. Crucially, he confirmed that the organisers had failed to inform the local police or seek mandatory permissions and protection before conducting the event.
According to the SP, the Lord Venkateswara Swamy temple is a private holy establishment operating without proper approvals, and its organisers reportedly did not comply with safety protocols. The police have since registered a case under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Following the tragedy, the Andhra Pradesh police barred devotees from entering the temple in Kasibugga town on Sunday. Survivors reported that the single available gate was shut, and a group of devotees who had been allowed in earlier for darshan fell, along with a broken grill, onto the large number of people waiting below the staircase, leading directly to the disaster. Several injured individuals suffered limb fractures and breathlessness and were hospitalised.
Superintendent Reddy confirmed the barring of entry to the temple "in view of the tragedy." He added that the nine bodies had been sent for post-mortem examinations and subsequently handed over to their families. He said that the two people who sustained serious injuries are now in a stable condition, while the others have been discharged from hospital.
Also read: Naidu blames organisers for stampede at Venkateswara temple
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