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7 Killed, Several Injured in Wall Collapse at Simhachalam Temple During Chandanotsavam Festival
At least seven people lost their lives and four others sustained injuries when a wall adjacent to a queue line collapsed at the Sri Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Temple in Simhachalam, Visakhapatnam, early Wednesday morning. The incident occurred around 2:30 am as devotees gathered for the annual Chandanotsavam festival to witness the ‘Nijaroopa Darshanam’ of the deity.
Rescue operations were promptly launched by teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and local authorities. An eighth person was pulled out alive from the debris and is currently undergoing critical treatment at a local hospital.
Cause and Preliminary Assessment
According to Andhra Pradesh Home Minister Vangalapudi Anitha, initial reports suggest that the newly-constructed wall, adjacent to a shopping complex near the Simhagiri Bus Stand, collapsed due to soil loosening caused by heavy overnight rainfall. The pressure from the large crowd of devotees queuing for a ₹300 special darshan is also believed to have contributed to the collapse.
Government Response
Following the incident, key officials, including Visakhapatnam District Collector A. Mallikarjuna and Police Commissioner Shankha Brata Bagchi, reached the site to oversee rescue and relief operations. The bodies of the deceased — which included three women — and the injured were shifted to King George Hospital for postmortem and treatment, respectively.
Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy and announced an ex gratia of ₹25 lakh each to the families of the deceased and ₹3 lakh each to the injured. He has also constituted a three-member inquiry committee to investigate the circumstances leading to the wall collapse.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi conveyed his condolences to the victims’ families and announced an additional ex gratia of ₹2 lakh each to the next of kin of the deceased and ₹50,000 for the injured from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund (PMNRF).
Festival Context
The Chandanotsavam festival marks a rare spiritual event where the deity, usually covered with sandalwood paste throughout the year, is revealed to devotees in his true form — the Nijaroopa. The ceremonial awakening (Suprabhata Seva) of the deity took place at 1:00 am, followed by the removal of the sandalwood paste using traditional silver scrapers. Thousands of devotees had assembled for the occasion.
Post the rituals, hereditary trustee Pusapati Ashok Gajapathi Raju and family were granted the first darshan, and state Minister for Revenue Anagani Satya Prasad presented traditional silk garments to the deity on behalf of the government.
Authorities have urged devotees to exercise caution during large religious gatherings and promised a thorough review of safety protocols at religious sites across the state.
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