Book multiple cases, I have no issues: Temple owner responds to death of devotees in Srikakulam stampede

AMARAVATI: Temple owner Hari Mukunda Panda has reacted to the stampede that killed people at Venkateswara Swamy temple in Andhra Pradesh. The accident occurred during Ekadashi celebrations at the temple in Kasibugga in Srikakulam district. Nine people died and nine others were injured in the stampede.

There were allegations that the temple authorities did not inform the local administration about the event, which led to an increase in the scale of the disaster. However, Panda responds that there was no need for that. 'I built the temple on my private land. Why should I inform the police or the government?" he asked the media.

The temple was built by 94-year-old Hari Mukunda Panda four months ago. The temple is known as Chinna Tirupati or Mini Tirupati, modelled after the Venkateswara Swamy temple in Tirumala. The accident occurred around 11.30 am yesterday. The temple was crowded on the occasion of Ekadashi in the month of Karthika. Police say that about 25,000 devotees had visited the temple. The lack of adequate security personnel and the fact that there was only one gate to enter and exit the temple added to the scale of the disaster. Only barricades were set up to control the crowd. It is reported that people fell into these barricades, making them collapse and causing the accident.

Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu had yesterday said that if the police had been informed earlier, they could have made arrangements to control the crowd. He blamed the temple authorities for the tragedy and assured strict action in the case. However, Panda's response was that he has no issues even if multiple cases were filed against him. The police have currently registered a case against him for culpable homicide.

The priest said that the temple usually has few visitors, and such a large crowd on Ekadashi was unexpected. 'Usually, the temple is less crowded. After darshan, devotees get prasad and then they leave. I do not ask for anything. I cook the food and prasad with my own money. But the crowd suddenly swelled yesterday morning at around 9 am. We ran out of prasad. We did not have time to prepare more food,' he said.