A stampede occurred on Saturday (November 1) at the Venkateswara Swamy temple in Kasibugga, Srikakulam district in Andhra Pradesh. At least nine persons, including two children, have been reported dead, the Chief Minister’s Office said in a statement .

The incident occurred as a large crowd gathered at the temple on the occasion of Ekadashi. A police official told The Indian Express that a railing in the queue for darshan of the deity had given way as devotees jostled to move ahead, causing people to fall over each other. So far, the temple authorities and the police have accused each other of not arranging for the overcrowding. While an investigation is underway, there seems to be an element of inadequate planning for the crowd size.

The Kasibugga temple stampede is the third su

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