Devotees’ Rush Turns Deadly: Tirupati Temple Stampede Sparks Outrage
On Wednesday night, a tragic stampede occurred at the Lord Venkateswara Swamy temple in Tirumala Hills, resulting in the deaths of at least six devotees, including three women, and injuring several others. The incident happened as hundreds of people crowded to obtain tickets for the Vaikunta Dwara Darshanam, a special event starting on January 10.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu expressed deep sorrow over the loss of lives and criticized officials for inadequate preparations, despite anticipating large crowds. He held a teleconference with top officials, including the Director General of Police, the Executive Officer of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD), the District Collector, and the Superintendent of Police, to review the situation. The Chief Minister instructed them to provide the best possible treatment to the injured to prevent further fatalities and announced plans to visit Tirupati on Thursday to assess the situation personally.
TTD Chairman B.R. Naidu reported that the Chief Minister expressed displeasure over the incident, suspecting administrative lapses. He mentioned that a Deputy Superintendent of Police had opened a gate, leading to overcrowding. The Chief Minister has ordered measures to prevent such incidents in the future and is closely monitoring the situation.
The TTD had planned to distribute tokens at eight locations over three days (January 10-12) to manage the large number of pilgrims expected for the 10-day Vaikunta Dwara Darshanam. However, despite the presence of TTD patrol staff and local police, crowd control proved difficult, raising concerns about the adequacy of security measures.
Videos have surfaced showing police administering CPR to some female devotees and injured individuals being transported in ambulances. The incident has prompted discussions about the need for improved crowd management and safety protocols during major religious events.