In a tragic incident at the Sri Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Temple in Simhachalam, Visakhapatnam, at least eight devotees lost their lives and four others were injured at the collapse of a wall adjacent to a queue line in the early hours of Wednesday, 30 April 2025. The mishap occurred around 3:30 am as devotees gathered at the temple prior to the annual Chandanotsavam festival today, during which the deity is revealed in Nijaroopa (true form) darshan.
According to officials, the collapse happened while devotees waited in a special Rs. 300 darshan queue. The wall, situated next to a shopping complex near the Simhagiri Bus Stand, suddenly gave way.
State Home Minister Vangalapudi Anitha, who visited the site shortly after the incident, said that according to preliminary reports, the newly constructed wall was saturated with rainwater from a torrential downpour between 2:30 am and 3:30 am. The heavy winds and a sudden gush of water created pressure in the area, contributing to the wall’s failure.
Rescue operations were swiftly launched by the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and local authorities. Debris was cleared and the injured were promptly shifted to King George Hospital, Visakhapatnam. Among the deceased were five men and three women, while the identities of some victims were yet to be confirmed at the time of reporting.
District Collector Harendhira Prasad and Commissioner of Police Shankha Brata Bagchi also reached Simhachalam Temple to supervise rescue and relief measures after the wall collapse.
The Chandanotsavam is a significant annual event drawing thousands of devotees. The celebrations began at 1:00 am with the ceremonial awakening of the deity through Suprabhata Seva. Priests then removed the sandalwood paste from the idol using silver scrapers, allowing devotees a rare glimpse of the deity in his natural form.
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