Simhachalam Tragedy: PM Modi Announces Compensation for Victims’ Families
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed deep shock over the tragic incident at Simhachalam in which seven devotees lost their lives during the Chandanotsavam festival of Sri Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy. Extending his condolences, Narendra Modi conveyed heartfelt sympathies to the bereaved families of the deceased and wished a speedy recovery to those injured.
In response to the incident, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced an ex-gratia compensation of ₹2 lakh each to the families of the deceased and ₹50,000 each to those injured in the mishap.
The tragedy occurred when a wall collapsed on devotees standing in queue to witness the true form (nijarupa darshan) of Lord Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy. The collapse led to the deaths of seven people, including three women and four men. Additionally, four others were reported injured and are currently receiving treatment at King George Hospital (KGH) in Visakhapatnam.
The incident took place shortly after midnight on Tuesday following a heavy downpour in Simhachalam. Due to the rain, a wall near the ₹300 ticket counter located by the shopping complex on the uphill route from the Simhagiri bus stand suddenly collapsed, leading to the fatalities.