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A crowd surge at a popular Hindu temple in southern India has resulted in the deaths of at least nine people and left dozens injured, local authorities confirmed on Saturday.
The tragic incident took place at the Swamy Venkateswara Temple in Andhra Pradesh’s Srikakulam district.
Hundreds of devotees had gathered there to observe “Ekadashi,” a significant Hindu holy day where worshippers fast and offer prayers to Lord Vishnu.
Senior police officer K. V. Maheswra Reddy told the Associated Press that an initial investigation suggests an iron grille, intended to manage the queue of worshippers, broke, leading to the uncontrolled surge.
Senior local government official Swapnil Dinkar Pundkar said more casualties were feared. “Initially, we had reports of seven deaths, but two more people have succumbed to their injuries while the condition of two others is critical,” he said.
Of the deceased, eight are women and one is a child, Pundkar said, adding that at least 16 devotees injured in the crowd surge are being treated at a local hospital, while 20 others are in a state of shock and put under observation at a different hospital.
Video footage on local media showed people rushing to help those who fainted in the crowd surge and were gasping for breath. Some were seen rubbing the hands of those who fell on the ground.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Andhra Pradesh’s highest elected official N. Chandrababu Naidu, expressed grief and offered their condolences to the families of the bereaved.
Crowd surges at religious gatherings are not uncommon in India, where massive groups often congregate at temples or pilgrimage sites, sometimes overwhelming local infrastructure and security measures.
In July, a crowd surge at a popular Hindu temple in northern India left at least six people dead and dozens injured.
