The revered Lord Venkateswara Swamy temple in Tirupati witnessed a tragic stampede, leaving six devotees dead and 40 others injured. The incident occurred during the distribution of tokens for the special Vaikuntha Dwara Darshanam, set to begin on Friday.
The stampede unfolded on Wednesday night as over 4,000 devotees from across the country gathered at Bairagi Pattida Park to secure tokens for the 10-day event. According to eyewitness accounts, the chaos began when Mallika, one of the victims, fell ill in the queue.
As officials opened the gates to escort her to the hospital, the crowd surged forward, triggering the commotion.
Videos circulated on social media captured the mayhem, showing police personnel managing the unruly crowd and performing CPR on injured devotees.
Bhanu Prakash Reddy, a member of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) board, expressed regret over the incident, saying, “Six devotees died in the stampede, 40 have sustained injuries, we are providing the best medical facilities possible. This has never happened in TTD's history. I sincerely seek an apology from the devotees. We will conduct an inquiry and take serious action.”
Reddy further stated that 91 counters were opened for token distribution, which was initially scheduled to commence on Thursday morning.
TTD Chairman B R Naidu attributed the stampede to administrative mismanagement, explaining, “The DSP opened the gate in one area, and others ran away. One victim has been identified. Chief Minister Naidu will meet the victims' families today.”
Expressing his sorrow, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu said he was “deeply disturbed” by the incident. “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 I am taking stock of the situation,” he tweeted.
In anticipation of large crowds, the TTD had previously announced that only devotees holding darshan tokens or tickets would be allowed into queues at designated times. Executive Officer J Syamala Rao also cited limited accommodation as a reason for the restrictions.
Despite deploying 3,000 police personnel across Tirupati and Tirumala—1,200 in Tirupati and 1,800 in Tirumala—the security arrangements proved inadequate in preventing the tragedy.
As inquiries into the incident continue, the temple authorities face criticism for the apparent lapse in planning and execution, overshadowing the sacred Vaikuntha Dwara Darshanam celebrations.
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