'Over 5,000 devotees rushed for tokens': What caused Tirupati stampede

Overcrowding and 'unregulated token distribution' triggered the deadly stampede which killed six persons at the Vaikunta Dwara Darshanam at Lord Venkateswara Swamy temple, popularly known as the Tirupati, in Andhra Pradesh, on Wednesday night.

People started queuing from as early as Wednesday for the tokens to visit the almost 2,000-year-old temple and pushed and jostled leading to the stampede.

According to officials, nearly 5,000 people came in together as the gates for tickets were opened. Dozens of others were injured in the incident.

Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) Chairman BR Naidu said, “A DSP opened the gates…and immediately everybody pushing ahead led to this stampede.”

Thousands of devotees had turned up from across the country for the 10-day Vaikunta Dwara Darshanam commencing from January 10.

“A few devotees dying in a stampede near Vishnu Nivasam in Tirupati while trying for Vaikuna Dwara Darsanam has grieved me intensely,” said Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu in a post on 'X'.

According to the TTD Chairman, Naidu conducted a teleconference and expressed dissatisfaction over the temple employees and said such an incident was unfortunate.

There is some suspicion that it happened due to (the temple) administration, he said. “The CM directed us that these kinds of incidents should not recur”, he added.

Tirupati Collector S Venkateswar said that police personnel have been deployed outside the ticket counters and 1.2 lakh tickets have been sold for Vaikunta Dwara Darshanam.

“...Elaborate arrangements have been made for Vaikunth Ekadasi this year by TTD and the district administration. A sufficient number of police personnel were deployed at all the ticket counters (9) in Tirupati and (1) in Tirumala.

“We kept holding areas as well. At this particular location, there was some miscommunication over the opening of the gate. An unfortunate incident occurred,” Venkateswar told reporters at Tirupati.

He said the situation was brought under control at 9.30 pm last night and at all queue counters, ticket distribution was completed around 1 am.

Videos of police personnel administering CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) on a couple of woman devotees and injured persons being shifted in ambulances went viral. — with Agencies