Thu Jan 09 08:54:01 UTC 2025: ## Six Devotees Dead in Tirupati Stampede Ahead of Vaikunta Ekadasi
**TIRUPATI, January 9, 2025** – Six devotees died and dozens more were injured in a stampede at token distribution centers for Vaikunta Ekadasi darshan in Tirupati on Wednesday night. The incident occurred just two days before the auspicious religious event.
The deceased, ranging in age from 33 to 55, hailed from various states including Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala. They succumbed to injuries sustained in the crush, with several deaths attributed to asphyxia. Forty-one individuals were hospitalized, with twenty discharged after treatment and twenty-one remaining under care for serious injuries, including bone fractures. All injured were transferred to the better-equipped SVIMS hospital.
The Andhra Pradesh state government has announced an ex-gratia payment of ₹25 lakh to the next of kin of each victim. Revenue Minister Anagani Satya Prasad, along with several cabinet colleagues, visited the hospital to console grieving families and make the announcement. Relatives of the deceased and injured expressed their anguish to the ministers, recounting the horrific events of the night.
A case has been registered under section 194 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Samhita following a complaint filed by the Narayanavanam Tahsildar with the Tirupati East Police station. An investigation into the incident is underway. The stampede has cast a pall of gloom over the city ahead of the major religious festival.
First Piper 