After stampede left 9 dead, Andhra Pradesh govt could take over management of private temple
Endowments Minister Anam Ramanarayana Reddy said the state government would issue safety guidelines once again to all temples, including privately managed ones
The privately built and managed Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple at Kashibugga remained closed after Saturday’s tragedy, and 90-year-old owner, Hari Mukunda Panda, faces a culpable homicide case (PTI Photo)
The Andhra Pradesh government is likely to take over the management of the Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple at Kashibugga in Srikakulam district after Saturday morning’s stampede there left eight women and a child dead.
Officials from various government offices, led by the Endowments Department, have started reviewing safety measures of temples in the wake of the disaster, which is the third such incident in Andhra Pradesh this year.
Endowments Minister Anam Ramanarayana Reddy said the state government would issue safety guidelines once again to all temples, including privately managed ones. “We have formed a full-fledged inquiry committee. The government is fully prepared to take over and develop the temple, which is not fully completed.”
“Special attention will also be paid to the security of temples not under the jurisdiction of the Endowment Department. Security and safety standards are mandatory during festivals. We will form an advisory committee and start the development of private temples. We will take appropriate measures for the safety of devotees, arrangements, entry routes, and emergency services. We will prepare a safety list of all temples, regardless of whether they are government or private,” he said.
Of the 31 people injured in the stampede, all except three have been discharged from hospital, officials said. Two of the three still undergoing treatment are said to be seriously injured and were taken to GEMS Hospital in Srikakulam.
The privately built and managed Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple at Kashibugga remained closed after Saturday’s tragedy, and 90-year-old owner, Hari Mukunda Panda, faces a culpable homicide case. A five-member team has started an inquiry into the incident.
On Sunday, the probe team set up by District Collector Swapnil Dinakar interviewed some of the injured persons.
Minister Anam Ramanara-yana Reddy said the advice of priests would be taken before reopening the temple, which was originally opened just four months ago.
Sreenivas Janyala is a Deputy Associate Editor at The Indian Express, where he serves as one of the most authoritative voices on the socio-political and economic landscape of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. With a career spanning over two decades in mainstream journalism, he provides deep-dive analysis and frontline reporting on the intricate dynamics of South Indian governance.
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