Death toll rises to 6 in Tirupati stampede; over 25 injured

Six devotees lost their lives, and over 30 were injured in a stampede at the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) token distribution center in Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, on Thursday. The incident occurred during the distribution of free Vaikuntha Ekadashi Darshan tokens, a much-anticipated event that sees a massive influx of devotees annually.

The stampede began early in the morning when thousands of devotees gathered at a center to collect tokens for the Vaikuntha Ekadashi celebrations, scheduled for January 12 and 13. Eyewitnesses reported overcrowding as a key factor, with people pushing and shoving to secure their spot in the queue. The situation spiraled out of control when the crowd surged forward, resulting in a deadly crush.

Police and local authorities rushed to the scene to control the situation. Ambulances were deployed to transport the injured to nearby hospitals, including Ruia Hospital in Tirupati. Among the injured, several individuals were reported to have suffered serious injuries, with authorities monitoring their conditions closely.

The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), which manages the temple operations, has launched an internal investigation into the incident. The administration announced an ex-gratia payment of ₹10 lakh to the families of the deceased and assured free treatment for those injured. Officials stated that efforts are underway to strengthen safety measures to prevent such occurrences in the future.

The state government has also ordered a high-level inquiry into the tragedy. Additional personnel have been deployed to manage crowds at other token distribution centers. Vaikuntha Ekadashi, a significant Hindu festival, traditionally draws millions of devotees to the temple every year, making crowd control a critical aspect of the event's management.