Tirupati, January 9, 2025: A tragic stampede occurred at the Vaikuntha Dwara in Tirupati late on Wednesday night, claiming the lives of six devotees and injuring several others. The incident took place as thousands of devotees gathered for the Vaikuntha Ekadashi festival, which marks the start of a 10-day pilgrimage from January 10.
The injured were immediately taken to the Sri Venkateswara Ramnarayan Ruia Government Hospital for treatment. Among the deceased was a woman named Mallika, whose husband expressed his grief, stating that the stampede occurred while they were waiting for tickets.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed deep sorrow over the incident, offering condolences to the victims’ families and wishing for the quick recovery of the injured. Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi also expressed his condolences and urged party leaders to assist the victims.
Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) Chairman B.R. Naidu called the incident a “tragic accident” and confirmed that one of the victims had been identified. Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu will visit the affected families on Thursday morning to offer his support.
Former TTD Chairman Bhumana Karunakara Reddy criticized the government for its failure to prevent the tragedy, pointing to a lack of proper arrangements. CM Naidu has ordered a review of the situation, questioning why sufficient precautions were not taken despite the large crowds.
The incident has raised serious concerns over the safety measures for devotees and calls for more stringent actions to ensure their security during such major events.
