What led to Tirupati stampede? TTD apologises for ‘unfortunate incident’

At least six people were killed and 40 others injured during a stampede in India'sTirupati on Wednesday (Jan 8) when hundreds of devotees jostled for tickets to a religious event.

The tragic incident which took place near Vishnu Niwasam during the distribution of tokens was caused by “overcrowding”, according to the Chairman of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD).

The Andhra Pradesh government has announced Rs 25 lakh ($ 29,112.12) compensation for the families of those who died in a stampede.

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What led to Tirupati stampede?

The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), which manages the temple operations, had arranged special counters for the distribution of 1,20,000 tokens for ‘Ekadasi Darshan’.

There were 91 counters and thousands of devotees lined up to get the tokens in the morning to get the tickets. However, the crowd became unruly when people started pushing and jostling.

BR Naidu, chairman of TTD, said that the stampede began when the gate opened to assist a woman who was feeling unwell, reported HT. The crowd started to push forward leading to a chaotic situation in Tirupati.

Naidu has cited overcrowding as the reason for the stampede.

“The reason (for the stampede) is overcrowding...it is an unfortunate incident...tomorrow CM will tell everything, today the complete report will come. A total of 6 people have died. some are from Tamil Nadu and some are from Andhra Pradesh. As of now, one body has been identified…,” said Naidu.

TTD Board member apologises

TTD Board member Bhanu Prakash Reddy has expressed his apologies for the stampede and said that an inquiry would be conducted into the matter.

“ ...to distribute tokens for 'Ekadasi Darshan', we opened 91 counters...it is unfortunate that stampede happened. Six devotees died in the stampede, 40 have sustained injuries, we are providing best medical facilities possible to them. This has never happened in TTD history. I sincerely seek apology from the devotees,” he told reporters.

Reportedly, the chaos occurred close to the Tirumala Srivari Vaikuntha Dwaram ticketing counter.

Andhra Pradesh CM to visit families of victims

According to a statement from the TTD chairman’s office, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu is closely monitoring the situation and will pay a visit to the families of the victims on Thursday (Jan 9).

Earlier, he posted on X, “The death of several devotees in a stampede near Vishnu Niwasam in Tirupati for tokens to visit Tirumala Srivari Vaikuntha Dwara has shocked me. This tragic incident, which took place at a time when devotees had gathered in large numbers for tokens, deeply disturbed me.”

PM and President express condolences

Prime Minister Narendra Modi shared his condolences for the aggrieved families.

President Droupadi Murmu expressed grief over the tragic incident.

“Distressed to know that a stampede in Tirupati led to loss of life of many devotees. I extend my heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and pray for speedy recovery of the injured,” she said in an X post.

Two FIRs lodged

Two FIRs have been lodged with the Tirupati East Police regarding the incident. The first complaint involved a resident of Tamil Nadu who lost her life after she collapsed during the stampede despite being rushed to the hospital. The second FIR reported the deaths of five devotees.

(With inputs from agencies)