VISAKHAPATNAM: Seven devotees lost their lives and several others suffered injuries after a wall collapsed at the Sri Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Temple in Simhachalam during the annual Chandanotsavam festival in the early hours of Wednesday.
The incident occurred in the Rs 300 queue line where devotees had gathered for the ‘Nijaroopa Darshan’ of the deity.
Officials stated that the wall collapsed due to heavy rainfall that occurred between 2:30 am and 3:30 am. The wall, constructed just 20 days ago, is suspected to have given way due to the downpour.
However, the exact cause for the wall collapse is still under investigation. The collapse took place shortly after the temple’s hereditary trustee, P Ashok Gajapathi Raju, offered silk robes to the deity as part of the traditional ritual.
The deceased have been identified as Kumpatla Manikanta Eswara Sesha Rao (29) and Pathi Durga Prasad Naidu (30), both natives of Korlapativaripalem, Machavaram in Ambajipeta mandal of Konaseema (Dr B R Ambedkar) district and residents of Visakhapatnam; Yedla Venkata Rao (58) from Mamidithota area in Visakhapatnam; Pilla Mahesh (30) and his wife Pilla Sailaja (27) of Chandrampalem in Madhurawada; Sailaja’s aunt Gujjari Mahalakshmi (65), a resident of HB Colony; and Sailaja’s mother Pyla Venkata Ratnam (45), also from Visakhapatnam. Rescue teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), fire services, and police were deployed immediately.
Visakhapatnam district Collector M N Harendhira Prasad, Police Commissioner Dr Shanka Brata Bagchi, and Home Minister Vangalapudi Anitha visited the site and supervised relief efforts.
CM N Chandrababu Naidu expressed deep sorrow over the incident and held a teleconference with ministers A Ramanarayana Reddy, D Bala Veeranjaneya Swamy, Vangalapudi Anitha, A Satya Prasad, MP Bharat, and temple trustee Ashok Gajapathi Raju.
CM announces Rs 25 lakh ex gratia for wall collapse victims; Inquiry Commission set up
Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu expressed deep grief over the incident and held a teleconference with ministers Anam Ramanarayana Reddy, Dola Bala Veeranjaneya Swamy, Vangalapudi Anitha, Anagani Satya Prasad, MP Bharat, and temple trustee Ashok Gajapathi Raju. He directed the officials to ensure proper medical care for the injured and announced the formation of a three-member committee to conduct a detailed inquiry into the incident.
The Chief Minister also declared an ex gratia payment of Rs 25 lakh each to the families of the deceased and Rs 3 lakh to each injured person. Additionally, one eligible member from each bereaved family will be offered an outsourced job under the Endowments Department.
He instructed officials to clear the debris immediately and take necessary steps to prevent inconvenience to devotees. With large crowds expected in the coming days, he also emphasised the need for crowd safety and control measures.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a post on X (formerly Twitter), expressed condolences and announced ex gratia relief of Rs 2 lakh for each deceased and Rs 50,000 for the injured from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF).
Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan described the incident as deeply unfortunate and extended his condolences. He said he had reviewed the situation with local officials and directed them to ensure the injured receive proper treatment.
Revenue Minister Anagani Satya Prasad, who visited the temple, stated that the government is extending all support to the affected families. Endowments Minister Anam Ramanarayana Reddy expressed sorrow and said the government has launched a probe into the incident.
Meanwhile, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) demanded that Visakhapatnam District Collector and Utsav Committee in-charge Ramachandra Mohan be held accountable. VHP State Math-Mandir representative Pudipeddi Sharma criticised officials for allegedly focusing on VIP arrangements at the cost of general devotees’ safety.
A devotee who narrowly escaped the collapse said, “It was a close call for me — I had passed through the same spot just three to five minutes before the wall collapsed. We heard a loud crashing sound as the wall came down, and it was truly frightening."
Government orders probe
The state government has ordered a high-level inquiry into the tragic wall collapse at the Sri Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Temple in Simhachalam. Chairing a review meeting on Wednesday, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu directed officials to conduct a thorough investigation into the incident.
According to an official report submitted by Visakhapatnam District Collector M N Harendhira Prasad, the wall collapsed around 3:30 am near the bus stop area, approximately 200 metres from the Rs 300 darshan entry point. Rescue operations, conducted by SDRF and Fire Department personnel, continued until 5:30 am.
The state government issued GO Ms. No. 49 on April 30, appointing an Inquiry Commission under Section 3 of the Commissions of Inquiry Act, 1952.
The commission is chaired by S Suresh Kumar, Principal Secretary of the MA&UD Department, with Ake Ravi Krishna, Inspector General of Police, and Venkateswar Rao, Engineer-in-Chief (FAC), irrigation department, as members.
The commission will investigate the sequence of events leading to the collapse, assess the adequacy of safety measures considering terrain and weather, and evaluate the response of temple and local authorities.
It will recommend disciplinary or legal action against those found responsible and suggest structural safety protocols and disaster preparedness procedures for religious sites, especially in hilly or ecologically sensitive areas.
A preliminary report is expected within 72 hours, and a comprehensive report is to be submitted within 30 days.
Former Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy expressed deep sorrow over the tragic deaths of devotees at the Simhachalam Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Temple during the Chandanotsavam celebrations. He urged the government to provide the best medical care to the injured and extend full support to the families of the deceased.
Andhra Pradesh Governor S. Abdul Nazeer expressed deep anguish over the loss of seven lives in the wall collapse incident at the Simhachalam temple during Chandanotsavam. Extending his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families, the Governor directed the district administration to ensure proper medical care for those injured in the incident.
Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy also conveyed his condolences and expressed sadness over the incident.
An inquiry into the incident is underway, and officials have assured that safety measures will be strengthened to avoid such tragedies in the future.