A tragic stampede at Vishnu Nivasam near the Tirumala temple in Tirupati has resulted in the deaths of six devotees. Several others were injured in the incident, which occurred during the distribution of tokens for the upcoming Vaikuntha Ekadashi celebrations.
The stampede took place as over 4,000 devotees gathered to collect tokens for the Vaikuntha Dwara Darshanam, scheduled to begin on January 10. Although the distribution counters were set to open early in the morning, many devotees started queuing up the previous evening, leading to severe overcrowding and chaos.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu expressed his sorrow over the tragedy and extended his condolences to the victims’ families. He has ordered an immediate investigation into the incident and directed officials to provide medical assistance to the injured.
The injured devotees were rushed to Sri Venkateswara Ramnarayn Ruia Government General Hospital, where they are currently receiving treatment. The Chief Minister has emphasized the importance of providing the best possible care to the injured.
In light of the incident, Naidu has announced that he will visit Tirupati tomorrow to meet the injured personally and assess the situation firsthand.
The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), responsible for managing the temple, has faced criticism for inadequate crowd management. TTD officials have promised to review and improve their strategies to prevent such tragedies in the future.
Vaikuntha Ekadashi is a significant festival for devotees of Lord Venkateswara, drawing thousands of pilgrims from across the country. With the festival period extending over ten days, the temple authorities are now focused on ensuring the safety of devotees for the remainder of the celebrations.
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