Stampede at Venkateswara Swamy temple in Kasibugga kills several

A crowd surge at the Venkateswara Swamy temple in Kasibugga town of Srikakulam district, Andhra Pradesh, on Saturday during Ekadashi observances left multiple worshippers dead and many more injured, officials said, as emergency teams worked to control the scene and treat the wounded. Local police said the crush occurred at about 11:30 a.m. as a large number of devotees converged on the shrine for the sacred day of fasting and prayers.

Accounts from officials and rescue personnel gave differing casualty figures as relief operations continued. Kasibugga subdivision incharge DSP Lakshman Rao said seven people died at the site. The district collector later reported additional fatalities, bringing a separate official count to 10, while the deputy chief minister’s office and other state statements cited nine deaths. Authorities said several people were taken to nearby hospitals; some reports put the number of injured in the teens, and others described dozens needing medical attention.

Police and emergency workers said the stampede followed severe overcrowding inside the temple complex and in its access corridors. A senior police officer said an initial probe indicated an iron grille...