After the Kasibugga Tragedy, Government to Tighten Rules on Private Temples

The tragic stampede at the Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple in Kasibugga, Srikakulam district, during the Karthika Ekadashi celebrations on Saturday has left the entire state in shock. Nine devotees lost their lives in the incident, including eight women and one young boy. The temple was privately built and managed by a person named Harimukunda Panda. It was inaugurated just four months ago. Normally, only a few hundred devotees visit the temple daily. However, as Karthika Ekadashi coincided with a weekend, more than 15,000 to 25,000 devotees gathered at once, though the premises can accommodate only about 2,000 people. The unexpected rush led to a massive stampede.

Responding immediately, the Andhra Pradesh government announced key measures. Endowments Minister Anam Ramanarayana Reddy clarified that the Kasibugga temple is privately owned and has no direct link with the state’s Endowments Department. Calling the loss of devotees’ lives extremely unfortunate, the minister said the government will ensure such incidents never recur.

The state is now planning to bring all privately managed temples under stricter monitoring. Special safety protocols and crowd-management guidelines will be introduced to safeguard devotees during major festivals and gatherings. Meanwhile, Minister Nara Lokesh announced financial relief for the affected families. The state will provide ₹15 lakh ex-gratia to the families of those who lost their lives and ₹3 lakh to each injured person.

Harimukunda Panda reportedly spent around ₹10 crore to construct the temple on a 12-acre site. He stated that the idea came from a divine vision in which Goddess Durga instructed him to build a Venkateswara temple. The structure, built over five years, features idols of Lord Venkateswara along with Sridevi and Bhudevi, and carvings depicting scenes from the Ramayana and Mahabharata.

The tragedy has cast a shadow over the state, prompting serious introspection within the government. Stronger regulations for private temples are expected soon to prevent such heartbreaking incidents in the future.