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Srikakulam: Hours after the tragic stampede that claimed 10 lives during Ekadashi celebrations at the Venkateswara Swamy temple in Kashibugga in Srikakulam district of Andhra Pradesh , Republic spoke exclusively to the 94-year-old temple priest, who confirmed that no official permission or crowd management plan was in place for the event.

The priest, visibly shaken, said he had never anticipated such a massive turnout. “We thought around 2,000 devotees would come. Never in my life have I seen such a rush here,” he said, adding that the crowd swelled unexpectedly early in the morning as devotees arrived from nearby districts.

He admitted that the temple was privately managed and that no security or administrative support ha

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