Chandigarh, The tragic stampede that resulted in the deaths of six individuals at the Lord Venkateswara Swamy temple, commonly referred to as Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh, was precipitated by overcrowding and a lack of regulated token distribution during the Vaikunta Dwara Darshanam event on Wednesday night. Devotees began lining up as early as Wednesday to obtain tokens for entry into the nearly 2,000-year-old temple, leading to a chaotic situation as thousands pushed forward when the gates for ticket sales were finally opened. Reports indicate that approximately 5,000 individuals surged through the entrance simultaneously, resulting in numerous injuries alongside the fatalities. BR Naidu, the Chairman of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), noted that the stampede was triggered when a Deputy Superintendent of Police opened the gates, causing a rush that quickly escalated into a dangerous situation. The event attracted thousands of pilgrims from across the nation, coinciding with the commencement of the ten-day Vaikunta Dwara Darshanam on January 10. Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu expressed his profound sorrow over the incident, stating that the loss of life during such a revered occasion was deeply distressing. In response to the incident, TTD Chairman Naidu held a teleconference to address the situation, expressing his dissatisfaction with the temple staff and suggesting that administrative shortcomings may have contributed to the tragedy. He emphasized the Chief Minister’s directive to prevent similar occurrences in the future. Additionally, Tirupati Collector S. Venkateswar confirmed that police presence had been increased around the ticket counters, with a total of 120,000 tickets sold for the Vaikunta Dwara Darshanam. He assured that comprehensive arrangements had been made for the Vaikunth Ekadasi celebrations this year, with adequate police personnel stationed at all nine ticket counters in Tirupati and one in Tirumala to ensure the safety and orderly conduct of the event.
