Fri Jan 10 03:14:45 UTC 2025: **Five Devotees Die in Stampede at Tirupati Temple, One Dies from Illness**
TIRUPATI, INDIA – Police in Tirupati have registered two separate cases following incidents that resulted in the deaths of six devotees near the Tirumala Venkateswara Temple.
The first incident involved a stampede at Padmavathy Park near the token distribution center on Wednesday evening. According to a complaint filed by the token center in-charge and Narayana Vanam Tahsildar, Jayaramulu, devotees misinterpreted the commencement of token distribution, believing it was earlier than scheduled. This caused a large number of people to rush forward, resulting in a stampede where five people were trampled and died. Police intervened but were overwhelmed by the sheer number of devotees.
The second incident involved the death of a 50-year-old woman, R. Mallika from Tamil Nadu, who had come to Tirupati for the Vaikuntha Ekadasi darshan. According to a complaint filed by Balayapalli Tahsildar P. Srinivasulu, Mallika suffered a medical emergency (diabetes) while sitting outside Vishnu Niwasam and fell, sustaining injuries that led to her death at Ruia Hospital. Her death is being classified as accidental.
Both incidents are under investigation under Section 194 BNSS.
First Piper 