Thu Jan 09 07:14:55 UTC 2025: ## Tirupati Temple Stampede Kills Six, Hundreds Injured Amidst Chaos for Special Darshan

**TIRUPATI, Andhra Pradesh** – A deadly stampede at the Lord Venkateswara Swamy Temple in Tirupati left six devotees dead and at least 40 injured on Wednesday night. Thousands had gathered for the 10-day Vaikuntha Dwara Darshanam, a special event expanded from its original two-day format. The chaos erupted as over 4,000 devotees surged forward to obtain darshan tokens, resulting in a crush at the Bairagi Pattida Park token distribution center.

Eyewitnesses reported a significant lack of preparedness by the temple administration. Sources claim no ambulances were stationed at the token centers, and those that arrived after the stampede took 15-20 minutes to reach the scene. Videos circulating on social media show the chaotic scene, with police struggling to control the overwhelming crowd and later administering CPR to victims.

The stampede was reportedly triggered when a woman devotee fell ill, prompting the gates to be opened to allow her passage to a hospital. This prompted a mass rush forward by the waiting crowd.

Bhanu Prakash Reddy, a Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) board member, apologized for the incident, stating that despite opening 91 token counters, the situation spiraled out of control. He promised a thorough inquiry and vowed to take serious action. TTD Chairman B.R. Naidu attributed the tragedy to administrative lapses and mismanagement, specifically citing the opening of a gate by a DSP as a contributing factor.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu expressed deep distress over the event, directing officials to provide immediate relief and medical treatment to the injured. He tweeted that he was closely monitoring the situation and would meet with the victims’ families. The incident has prompted questions about the adequacy of security and crowd management measures despite the deployment of approximately 3,000 police personnel across Tirupati and Tirumala. The TTD had announced restrictions on access to the queues only for those with tokens or tickets just one day prior to the tragedy.

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