A tragic stampede near the Vaikuntha Dwara Darshan ticketing centres at the Lord Venkateswara Swamy temple in Tirumala Hills claimed the lives of six devotees and left 29 others injured. The incident occurred amidst a massive rush of over 4,000 devotees jostling for tokens for the 10-day special darshan, as confirmed by Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) chief BR Naidu.

Details of the Incident:

  • Location: Near Vishnu Niwasam in Tirupati.
  • Cause: A surge in the crowd as a DSP opened the gates, causing chaos and triggering a stampede.
  • Impact: Six fatalities reported, with one victim identified, and 29 people injured. Several are in critical condition.

Videos from the scene showed devotees struggling to enter through narrow passages and police officers providing CPR and assisting injured persons into ambulances.

Government Response:

  • Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu has directed senior district officials to oversee relief efforts and ensure better medical treatment for the injured. He is scheduled to visit Tirupati today to meet the victims and assess the situation.
  • In a statement, the Chief Minister expressed deep sorrow, stating, “This tragic incident has deeply disturbed me… I am in constant communication with district and TTD officials.”

National Condolences:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also expressed his grief over the incident, stating, “Pained by the stampede in Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh. My thoughts are with those who have lost their near and dear ones. I pray that the injured recover soon. The AP Government is providing all possible assistance to those affected.”

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