“There was nothing we could do,” was the cold reaction of Harimukund Panda, the founder priest of Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple in Andhra Pradesh’s Srikakulam where nine people were killed, and several others were injured in a stampede that broke out on Saturday morning. Shifting the blame for the tragedy on the thousands of devotees that thronged the temple for Darshan on the occasion of Ekadashi, Panda denied the “poor management” charge, saying, “if so many people come at once, how am I at fault?”
The stampede occurred on Saturday morning as a large crowd gathered at the temple, Andhra Chief Minister’s Office said in a statement. Overcrowding because of the heavy rush led to the tragic incident.
Survivors blamed the tragedy on poor management and lack of proper arrangements on the part of the temple authorities, which led to the chaos. They said there was only a narrow single entry and exit gate despite a huge rush of devotees, which made matters worse.
“If so many people come at once, how am I at fault? Earlier, the devotees used to come in a proper manner, in a timely, cohesive manner, they used to come to the temple, have a Darshan, take the prasadam and leave. But so many people came yesterday. There was nothing we could do,” Panda said in an exclusive conversation with India Today TV.
Sources earlier told India Today TV that the event organisers did not obtain any official permissions or inform the state government about the mass congregation. Despite expecting thousands of devotees, no prior intimation or crowd-control arrangements were made.
“No matter how many devotees came in large numbers, I have never called the police. I personally oversee the devotees who come here for Darshan and keep them moving,” Panda stressed.
“I didn’t know. So many people came here all at once. Police came here and dispersed the crowds. They even sent me out as well. But the temple will continue running. I will keep running the temple,” the priest said in a defiant tone.
The area where the pilgrims assembled was reportedly under construction, and work was still underway at the site when the incident occurred, a violation of basic safety norms.
Adding to the chaos, the temple’s entry and exit points were the same, creating a dangerous bottleneck as devotees tried to move in and out simultaneously. With no proper barricades or crowd-management measures in place, the situation quickly spiralled out of control.
But Panda looked unperturbed by the possible ramifications that may unfold in the coming days, including registering a case into the matter, possibly against the temple administration. “Let them put a case on me. What can I do ? So many people come, and they will put a case on me?”
Meanwhile, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has already ordered an inquiry to find out the exact cause of the incident.
Hardly moved by the grim aftermath of the stampede tragedy at the shrine, Panda asserted that Darshans will continue without any problem and called on devotees to keep visiting the temple and paying obeisance to the deity.
“I want to say nothing to the devotees but that they come here have a peaceful Darshan be safe. Take the prasadam and leave with satisfaction and safety. Be careful, don’t push each other. That’s all I can say,” he said.
With nine casualties in the latest incident in Srikakulam, a total of 22 people have lost their lives and nearly 100 others have been injured in three major temple tragedies across Andhra Pradesh in 2025, highlighting major safety concerns that plague important religious places in the state.
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