Death procession at Visakhapatnam temple

At least eight devotees were killed in a tragic accident on the Chandanotsav day at the Sri Varahalakshmi Narasimha Swamy temple in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. A temporary shelter constructed in the temple complex, which was originally constructed to regulate the queue of ticketed pilgrims, suddenly collapsed in heavy rains in the early hours of Tuesday. Eight individuals were killed on the spot and at least four others were injured seriously after they were run over by the almost 20-foot-long building. The accident happened late at night, when everyone had come to catch a glimpse of the god. Festive mood was transformed into shouting, wailing and panic in a split second.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi responded quickly after the incident. In his message issued in X, he had uttered heartfelt sorrow and penned, "My condolences to the people who lost their relatives in the collapse of the wall in Visakhapatnam." The Prime Minister extended get-well soon wishes to those injured and also stated that families of the victims would receive Rs 2 lakh and injured ones Rs 50,000 each from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund (PMNRF). The national reaction indicates how much the accident has shaken the administrative ranks.

The response of the local administration started the moment the incident occurred. State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams initiated rescue operations at night and recovered the bodies and injured trapped under the debris. Vinay Chan, Principal Secretary, Endowments Department, Government of Andhra Pradesh, informed that it is not possible to determine the cause of the accident at present, but preliminary reports indicate that there was heavy rain during 2:30 am-3:30 am. The building collapsed at that hour. The wreckage has been cleared and an investigation has been initiated into the whole issue.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu also condoled the accident. He stated that such a loss on such a sacred festival day is extremely tragic. He spoke to the District Collector and the Superintendent of Police and instructed them to provide proper treatment to the injured and stated that he was keeping a close watch on the situation himself. Likewise, previous Chief Minister Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy condemned the incident outright and said it is a extremely sorrowful incident wherein those who came to watch the God, lost their lives in this manner. Specifically, he stated that the accident occurred in the queue where the tourists were waiting with tickets costing Rs 300. His report cast doubts over the inefficiency of the security system.

There has already been controversy over whether this tragic accident is merely the product of a natural disaster. An inquiry is still ongoing to ascertain if the building collapsed because of heavy rainfall or construction negligence. Nevertheless, this accident has again demonstrated the significance of security in such a huge crowd. When a temporary edifice is erected in the cause of festival, devotion and religiosity, and if it is turned into a risk to human life, then who will bear responsibility for that—is being queried in social as well as administration circles. The authorities are insisting upon an inquiry into the nature of the quality of the temporary structure, for whose responsibility its construction is, and for the clearance procedure. This accident has left a deep wound of pain not only for the families of the victims, but also for the entire society, which raises questions about our preparedness and sense of responsibility.