Thu Jan 09 18:04:02 UTC 2025: **Tirupati Stampede Kills Six, Sparks Outrage and Inquiry**

TIRUPATI, Andhra Pradesh—A stampede at the Tirupati temple on Wednesday claimed the lives of six devotees and injured many more, prompting widespread grief and calls for accountability. The incident occurred near the Vishnu Niwasam temple’s Vaikuntha Dwara ticketing counter as devotees rushed to obtain darshan tokens.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu visited the injured in the hospital and announced a ₹25 lakh ex-gratia payment to the families of each victim. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin also announced ₹2 lakh in assistance to a victim from Tamil Nadu. The state government has ordered a judicial inquiry into the incident.

Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan issued a public apology, stating that the TTD (Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams) executive and joint executive officers are responsible. Police have registered two FIRs based on complaints filed by local officials detailing the deaths of the victims, some of whom hailed from Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh.

Eyewitnesses described scenes of intense overcrowding and panic as devotees surged forward. One witness stated that the police were positioned outside the ticketing area, unable to control the crowd inside. Several high-profile figures, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, President Droupadi Murmu, and other political leaders, expressed their condolences and urged preventative measures to avoid similar tragedies.

The TTD chairman attributed the stampede to overcrowding, while former TTD chairman Bhuma Karunakar Reddy criticized the government for lapses in crowd management. Tirupati Collector S. Venkateswar assured that additional police were deployed this year but the situation spiraled out of control when the gates opened. The incident has sparked intense debate about crowd control and safety measures at religious sites during peak seasons.

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