The death toll in the Tirumala stampede incident has risen to six, with two more injured devotees succumbing to their injuries. The incident occurred during the distribution of Vaikunta Dwara Sarva Darshan tokens, leading to chaos at ticket counters in Tirupati.
According to reports, a stampede-like situation unfolded near Vishnu Nivasam, where a large number of devotees gathered for tokens. In the melee, a woman devotee from Salem, Tamil Nadu, lost her life. Several others sustained serious injuries and were rushed to Ruia Hospital, where two more devotees passed away during treatment. Authorities fear the death toll may rise further as several injured devotees remain critical.
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Stampede Reported at Two Locations
In a separate incident, another stampede-like situation was reported near Ramanaidu School at Bairagipatteda, Tirupati. Devotees gathering in large numbers at both locations led to panic and overcrowding.
Devotees Criticize TTD for Poor Arrangements
Devotees expressed outrage over the lack of proper crowd management by the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD). They alleged that mismanagement at token counters caused the stampede.
“The authorities allowed a large number of devotees into the queue lines without any proper security arrangements, which triggered the stampede,” one devotee said.
The sudden change in the token distribution schedule has also come under criticism. TTD had earlier announced that the tokens would be issued from 5 a.m. the next day, but a decision to start distribution early reportedly led to the chaos.
TTD officials have yet to issue an official statement regarding the incidents. Further investigations are underway to determine the lapses in crowd control measures.