Visakhapatnam, April 30 (NationPress) Tragically, eight devotees lost their lives and four others sustained injuries due to a wall collapse during an annual festival at the Sri Varaha Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy temple in Simhachalam, located in Andhra Pradesh's Visakhapatnam district on Wednesday. The calamity struck after heavy rainfall hit the region past midnight.

A wall fell on the devotees who were in line to purchase tickets for darshan during the Chandanotsavam festival, which was set to commence on the same day.

The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) quickly arrived at the scene to initiate rescue operations in collaboration with police and other agencies.

Authorities reported that seven bodies were retrieved from the rubble and transported to King George Hospital. Among the deceased were five men and three women, while the injured were admitted for treatment.

Home Minister Vangalapudi Anitha, along with Visakhapatnam District Collector M.N. Harendhira Prasad and Police Commissioner Shanka Brata Bagchi, oversaw the rescue efforts.

This tragic event unfolded mere hours before the temple's annual festival, Chandanotsavam. Reports indicated that the devotees involved were in line to purchase Rs 300 tickets when the wall collapsed.

More than two lakh devotees were anticipated to attend the ‘Nijaroopa darshanam’, during which the thick sandalwood covering on the idol would be removed, with rituals planned for the early morning.

Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has conveyed his sorrow regarding the incident and extended condolences to the victims' families. He communicated with local officials about the situation and emphasized the importance of providing top-notch medical care to the injured.

Endowments Minister Anam Ram Narayan Reddy also expressed his dismay over the incident, stating that he had instructed officials to initiate a rescue operation immediately after receiving news of the wall's collapse.

The minister confirmed that NDRF personnel and ambulances were deployed for the rescue mission. Furthermore, the Home Minister arrived at the scene to supervise the relief operations.

An inquiry into the incident has been ordered by the endowments minister, who assured that measures would be taken to prevent such tragedies in the future. He also stated that the government would provide all necessary assistance to the victims' families.

Former Chief Minister and YSR Congress Party President Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy expressed profound shock and sorrow over the tragic loss of lives. He referred to the incident as heartbreaking, noting that it is incredibly painful for devotees who came to witness the divine presence of the Lord to lose their lives in such a calamitous event.

Jagan urged the government to guarantee the best possible medical care for the injured and to extend all necessary support to the families of the deceased.