According to local news sources, 6 people lost their lives and approximately 40 others sustained injuries during a massive stampede at the Tirupati temple in India’s popular tourist destination, Andhra Pradesh.
The disaster struck when a large numbers of Hindu devotees and visitors had assembled at the temple to participate in one of the principal festivals honoring Lord Vishnu, which consistently draws large crowds each year.
Hundreds of devotees, holding the belief that witnessing the deity during this festival period confers spiritual advantages, have stormed to obtain tokens necessary for entering the temple and paying homage to Lord Vishnu, known as Lord Venkateshwara in Tirumala, ahead of the festival commencing tomorrow.
According to the temple management, “comprehensive arrangements” had been established to handle large crowds during the ten-day festival.
Conflicting reports from various media outlets have emerged regarding the precise cause of the deadly stampede. Some witnesses report that a woman in the queue experienced nausea, which led authorities to open the gates in an effort to expedite her transport to a hospital. The gate opening resulted in a sudden surge of the crowd, causing the ensuing chaos.
Videos shared on social media depict police officers attempting to control the crowd as devotees and visitors pushed against one another amid the turmoil. Additional footage shows police administering CPR to injured devotees in the aftermath of the stampede.
Temple management asserted that 91 counters were operational for the token distribution scheduled for mid-morning today. Nevertheless, a large number of devotees began to assemble well in advance in anticipation of obtaining tokens.
The chairman of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) board attributed the situation to mismanagement and stated that measures had been implemented to mitigate traffic concerns in Tirupati.
“Approximately 3,000 police officers, in addition to 1,550 TTD staff members, have been deployed for security measures,” he added.
The TTD chief underscored that only those devotees possessing tokens would be allowed to join the queues, given the limited accommodation available in Tirumala, the location of the temple. According to the TTD officials, the average daily attendance at the temple is approximately 90,000 visitors.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences on X (formet Twitter) regarding the stampede, stating that the state government was extending “all possible assistance to those affected.”
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu, who is part of the Modi-led National Democratic Alliance currently in power at the national level, characterized the incident as “deeply disturbing.”
The management of the temple has already faced significant scrutiny last year. In September, Chandrababu Naidu alleged that the sweets known as ‘laddus,’ primarily served to vegetarian devotees at the Sri Venkateswara temple, were tainted with animal fat. Following this, the Supreme Court of India criticized the Andhra Pradesh government for exacerbating a dispute without substantial evidence.
