6 Dead, Dozens Injured in Chaotic Stampede

Six people died and dozens were injured when thousands of devotees gathered at one of India’s wealthiest temples to obtain tickets for an upcoming religious festival in Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh state.

The crush occurred on Wednesday night, January 8, at the Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple, commonly known as the Tirupati temple, as devotees rushed toward more than 90 counters set up to distribute tickets for the temple’s 10-day Vaikuntha Dwara Darshan festival.

“To distribute tokens, we opened 91 counters… it is unfortunate that the stampede happened. This has never happened in the history of the temple. I sincerely seek an apology from the devotees,” said Bhanu Prakash Reddy, a board member of the temple trust.

The incident unfolded when gates at Padmavathi Park were briefly opened to help an elderly woman who needed evacuation. Rumors spread that token distribution had begun, causing a surge of people toward the gates. This led to people falling and creating a chain reaction in the crowd.

“People were screaming and falling. The situation got out of control when thousands rushed toward the gates,” reported an eyewitness at the scene.

Earlier in the day, another crush had occurred at a different token distribution center, resulting in the death of a 50-year-old woman, adding to the day’s toll. The incidents highlighted challenges in managing the massive crowds that had gathered for the festival tokens.

Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) officials reported that approximately 4,000-5,000 people had gathered at one of the 91 token distribution counters when the crush occurred. The temple had arranged for the distribution of 120,000 tokens for the first three days of the festival.

The Andhra Pradesh government announced compensation of ₹25 lakh (approximately $30,000) to the families of the deceased. Additionally, Tamil Nadu’s government pledged ₹2 lakh (approximately $2,400) in financial assistance to the family of a victim from their state.

Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu conducted a high-level review meeting after visiting the injured at the hospital. Two officials have been suspended for failing to ensure smooth operations. Naidu expressed dissatisfaction with the management of the situation and ordered a judicial inquiry into the incident.

The TTD Additional Executive Officer also visited the hospital to meet with the victims, and the state government has taken responsibility for the incident. Eyewitnesses stated that the disaster could have been prevented if the police had managed the crowd in an orderly manner.

The crush occurred specifically near the Vishnu Nivasam temple, where the TTD had set up the token distribution counters. The situation became particularly intense at the Srinivasam complex, where crowds surged toward the distribution points.

An eyewitness noted that there were only four police personnel present at the scene.

The Tirupati temple, dedicated to Hindu god Sri Venkateswara (Balaji), is one of Hinduism’s most sacred shrines. It attracts approximately 24 million devotees annually from India and abroad. The temple owns assets worth tens of billions of dollars, making it one of India’s richest religious institutions.

The Vaikuntha Dwara Darshan festival is considered highly auspicious as devotees believe they can glimpse the divine gates of heaven during this time. The event typically draws millions of attendees, with daily attendance reaching between two to three million on peak days.

The TTD has historically been known for its crowd management practices, with many temples across India seeking their expertise in handling large gatherings. This incident marks a significant departure from their previous record of successful crowd control.

The state government has assured that adequate arrangements will be made for the upcoming Vaikunta Ekadasi celebrations, with enhanced security measures and additional forces deployed at token issuance centers.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah expressed their condolences and assured full support to the state government in managing the aftermath and providing aid to the victims. Local Congress leader Rahul Gandhi urged party leaders and workers to provide all possible assistance during this time.

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