Wed Jan 08 23:19:12 UTC 2025: ## Tirupati Stampede Kills Six, Injures Dozens Ahead of Temple Festival
**Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh:** A stampede at a token distribution center for the Vaikuntha Ekadashi festival at the Tirupati Balaji Temple resulted in the death of six people and injuries to at least 25 others on January 8th, 2025. The incident occurred at two locations—the Bairagi Patteda area and near MGM school—where thousands of devotees had gathered to receive tokens for the special darshan (viewing) of the temple’s Vaikuntha Dwaram.
The stampede broke out even before the token distribution began, according to reports. Social media videos show the chaotic scenes and police officers attempting crowd control and administering CPR to injured pilgrims. One deceased woman has been identified as Mallika.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Lok Sabha opposition leader Rahul Gandhi, and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu expressed their condolences and offered their support. Chief Minister Naidu is scheduled to visit the injured in the hospital on January 9th.
The Vaikuntha Ekadashi festival, which sees a massive influx of devotees from across the country, is scheduled from January 10th to 19th. The large crowds began gathering on the evening of January 8th to secure tokens for the darshan. District Collector Dr. S. Venkateshwar and Joint Collector Shubham Bansal visited the hospital to assess the situation, along with Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) Executive Officer Shyamala Rao. The TTD had assured the public the day before that ensuring access to the darshan for all pilgrims was their top priority. The darshan was scheduled to commence at 4:30 AM on January 10th.
The incident highlights serious concerns about crowd management during large religious gatherings. An investigation into the causes of the stampede is likely to follow.
First Piper 