Andhra Pradesh: Moments leading up to Tirupati stampede that claimed 6 lives; TTD apologises

A stampede in the temple town of Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh has claimed six lives on Wednesday evening in a tragic incident. The incident occurred when tickets were being issued for the Vaikunta Dwara Darshanam at the Lord Venkateswara Swamy temple atop Tirumala Hills.

The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) which runs the temple had also opened counters to distribute tokens for the annual Vaikunta Ekadasi festival, which begins January 10. The tokens permitted devotees to enter through the temple’s northern entry point, which is described as holy, to have darshan of Lord Venkateswara Swamy without any charge.

The distribution started in MGM High School, Vishnu Nivasam, and Srinivasam in Tirupati. But, by the evening, the large gathering was unmanageable with nearly pushing and jostling. According to officials, the stampede started when a gate was opened to help a sick devotee, who was feeling unwell, leading to a rush in the crowd.

The TTD had made arrangements for the distribution of 120,000 tokens for the first three days of the event. Even with 94 counters across various locations, the largest number of applicants at once led to a stampede-like sight. Footage of policemen attempting to revive the victims through CPR and devotees being rushed to hospitals showcased the shocking nature of the incident.

Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu expressed profound sadness over the incident which he described as "shocking". He added that arrangements were being made to provide treatment to the injured. TTD board member Bhanu Prakash expressed regret for the tragedy and promised stringent action to prevent similar incidents in the future.

Expressing their sympathies too were Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. "Saddened by the stampede in Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh," Modi said. I pray for those injured to heal fast; I also show my sympathy and condolences to those who have lost their life and their families.

This tragic incident highlights the need for better crowd management, particularly at mass religious events. The Tirupati stampede has the nation grieving indeed, but not for the lives lost in what should have been a mukhya bhakti moment.