Seven Killed in Simhachalam Temple Wall Collapse; Probe Committee Formed Amid Allegations of Negligence

Seven devotees died after a wall collapsed at Simhachalam temple in Visakhapatnam. The Andhra Pradesh government formed a probe committee and announced ₹25 lakh ex-gratia. Opposition leaders blamed the government for negligence, demanding higher compensation. The committee will assess structural failures and recommend accountability and safety measures for religious sites.

Seven devotees lost their lives in a tragic wall collapse at the Sri Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy temple in Simhachalam, Visakhapatnam, early Wednesday morning. The incident occurred when a rain-soaked wall near the ₹300 darshan queue line gave way, crushing those waiting in line. The Andhra Pradesh government has launched a formal investigation, setting up a three-member committee to probe the cause of the collapse and recommend accountability measures.

Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, after a high-level emergency meeting, directed the formation of the panel, which will be headed by S Suresh Kumar, Principal Secretary of the Municipal Administration and Urban Development Department. The committee also includes Inspector General of Police Ake Ravi Krishna and Engineer-in-Chief (Irrigation) M Venkateswar Rao. It has been instructed to submit a preliminary report within 72 hours and a detailed report within 30 days.

The panel’s mandate includes assessing construction quality, verifying whether necessary precautions were taken given the monsoon season, and evaluating the emergency response by temple and civic authorities. The government has announced an ex-gratia of ₹25 lakh to the families of each deceased victim and ₹3 lakh to the injured.

Meanwhile, opposition parties have launched sharp criticism. YSR Congress Party chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy accused the government of "sheer negligence," alleging that the wall was hastily built without tenders or standard procedures. He demanded ₹1 crore compensation per victim’s family. CPI(M) leaders echoed similar concerns, questioning the structural quality and urging accountability.

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State Home Minister Vangalapudi Anitha called the collapse a tragic accident but affirmed that anyone found responsible would face strict consequences. She also appealed to political leaders to refrain from politicizing the tragedy during the ongoing relief efforts.