The chaos erupted at three places as hundreds of devotees rushed to secure tokens for the 10-day Vaikunta Dwara Darshanam starting January 10. Overwhelmed by the crowd, the ticketing centre became the site of the tragic incident.
Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu expressed shock at the incident and directed senior officials to oversee relief efforts and ensure proper medical care for the injured. Naidu is expected to visit the site of the tragedy on Thursday morning.
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CM to visit site in the morning and review rescue efforts
Naidu is scheduled to visit Tirupati on Thursday to personally assess the situation and ensure that all necessary measures are being taken.
Chandrababu Naidu monitoring the situation
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu wrote on X,”The death of several devotees in a stampede near Vishnu Niwasam in Tirupati for tokens to visit Tirumala Srivari Vaikuntha Dwara has shocked me. This tragic incident, which occurred when devotees had gathered in large numbers for tokens, deeply disturbed me. In the wake of information that the condition of some of them is critical, I have directed higher officials to go to the spot and take relief measures… to provide better medical treatment to the injured and save their lives. I am talking to the district and TTD officials from time to time and am taking stock of the situation.”
A disaster waiting to happen
The stampede occurred at three locations where Vaikunta Dwara Darshan tickets were to be issued on Thursday morning. Crowds had started building up from Wednesday morning and chaos erupted as devotees rushed to the counters when they opened.
First Published: Jan 8, 2025 11:27 PM IST