Daijiworld Media Network - Visakhapatnam

Visakhapatnam, Apr 30: In a tragic incident during the annual Chandanotsavam festival at the Sri Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy temple in Simhachalam, seven devotees lost their lives when a wall collapsed around 3:15 am on Wednesday. Among the deceased is a techie couple from Visakhapatnam.

The couple, Pilla Uma Maheswara Rao (30) and Pilla Sailaja (26), were employed with HCL and Infosys in Hyderabad and were working from home. They hailed from Chandrapalem village in Madhurawada. Tragically, Sailaja’s mother and aunt — Venkat Ratna (45) and G Mahalakshmi (65) — were also killed.

The other deceased were Durgaswamy Naidu (33) and K Manikantha (28) from East Godavari district, and Yedla Venkat Rao (45) of Visakhapatnam. Three others were injured and are undergoing treatment at King George Hospital.

The wall collapse occurred as hundreds of devotees queued for Rs 300 Nijaroopa Darshanam tickets, during which the sandalwood paste on the deity is removed for public viewing.

NDRF, police, and local officials carried out rescue operations, which have now concluded. home minister Vangalapudi Anitha, collector M N Harendhira Prasad, and police commissioner Shanka Brata Bagchi oversaw relief efforts.

Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, deputy CM Pawan Kalyan, and IT minister Nara Lokesh expressed condolences and announced a three-member probe. The CM also declared Rs 25 lac ex gratia for each victim’s family and Rs 3 lac for the injured.