Wed Apr 30 01:31:31 UTC 2025: **Wall Collapse at Indian Temple Kills Seven During Festival**
VISAKHAPATNAM, INDIA – At least seven devotees, including three women, died and several others were injured early Wednesday morning when a wall collapsed at the Sri Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Temple in Simhachalam, Visakhapatnam. The incident occurred around 3:30-4:00 a.m. during the annual Chandanotsavam festival, as devotees queued for a special viewing of the deity. Heavy rain and strong winds preceding the collapse are believed to be contributing factors.
The wall fell in the ₹300 ticket queue line, near a shopping complex under construction. National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams arrived on the scene to conduct rescue operations. District Collector M.N. Harendhira Prasad, Visakhapatnam MP M. Sribharat, and the Commissioner of Police, Shankabratha Bagchi, also rushed to the site.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu expressed his condolences and stated he is monitoring the situation, ensuring the injured receive proper medical care. Home Minister V. Anitha announced an investigation into the incident, focusing on the wall’s construction quality. Similar expressions of grief and calls for support for the victims’ families were issued by Endowments Minister Anam Ramanarayana Reddy and former Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy. The investigation will determine the exact cause of the collapse and whether negligence played a role.
First Piper 