New Delhi: Six people lost their lives, and over 20 others sustained critical injuries in a stampede at Tirupati late Wednesday evening, December 8, as thousands of devotees scrambled to secure tokens for the upcoming Vaikunta Ekadasi festival at the Tirumala temple. The tragedy unfolded after tens of thousands flocked to ticket counters, reported the Hindu.
The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) had announced the distribution of Slotted Sarva Darshan tokens from 5 am on Thursday at nearly 90 counters across Tirupati. However, chaos ensued at key locations such as Vishnu Nivasam, Bairagipatteda and Ramachandra Pushkarini due to inadequate crowd management.
Police struggled to control the surging crowds and the resulting stampede led to the death of six devotees. The deceased were identified as:
- S. Lavanya (38), homemaker, Visakhapatnam
- Malliga (50), homemaker, Salem
- Buddeti Naidu Babu (55), lab assistant, Narsipatnam
- Kandipalli Santhi (33), daily wage earner, Visakhapatnam
- G. Rajini (47), homemaker, Visakhapatnam
- V. Nirmala (55), resident of Vellarankalmedu, Kerala
The injured, initially treated at SVR Ruia Government General Hospital, were later shifted to TTD-run SVIMS hospital. Of the 41 injured, 20 were discharged, while 21 remain hospitalised, some with severe injuries including fractures.
Response from authorities
Andhra Pradesh chief minister N. Chandrababu Naidu directed officials to provide the best medical care to the injured. The state government announced an ex-gratia payment of Rs 25 lakh to the families of the deceased.
Revenue minister Anagani Satya Prasad, along with other cabinet members, visited the hospital. A formal complaint was lodged at the Tirupati East Police Station, and a case has been registered under Section 194 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Samhita.
Taking to X, Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated, “Pained by the stampede in Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh. My thoughts are with those who have lost their near and dear ones. I pray that the injured recover soon.” He added that the state government is providing all possible assistance to the affected people.
Pained by the stampede in Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh. My thoughts are with those who have lost their near and dear ones. I pray that the injured recover soon. The AP Government is providing all possible assistance to those affected: PM @narendramodi
Advertisement— PMO India (@PMOIndia) January 8, 2025
On Wednesday, Modi and Naidu attended a massive public meeting in the coastal city of Visakhapatnam in the state. The event was preceded by a short roadshow.
Token distribution halted
The TTD planned to distribute 1.2 lakh tokens for darshan on January 10, 11 and 12, allocating 40,000 tokens per day. Following the stampede, the counters were opened ahead of schedule on Wednesday night, leading to further confusion. Within hours, all tokens were exhausted.
With no tokens left for the first three days, TTD announced the temporary closure of counters and will resume token distribution on January 12 for darshan on January 13.
In recent years, the TTD has extended the festival to a ten-day event, inspired by the Srirangam temple, allowing devotees to pass through the sacred Vaikunta Dwaram. However, the overwhelming majority of devotees prefer darshan on Vaikunta Ekadasi and Dwadasi, creating unprecedented demand for tokens on the first two days.
