Tirupati stampede: Key factors behind the tragic incident that claimed 6 lives
Produced by Tarun Mishra
Produced by Tarun Mishra
On Wednesday evening, a stampede near Vishnu Nivasam in Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, resulted in the deaths of six devotees and injuries to several others. Thousands had gathered to secure tokens for darshan at the Lord Venkateswara Swamy Temple on Tirumala Hills.
The incident occurred during preparations for the annual Vaikunta Dwara Darshanam festival, scheduled to begin on January 10. The 10-day event provides devotees with special access to the deity through the temple's northern entrance, drawing large crowds from across the country.
To manage the rush, the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) had set up multiple counters, including those at Vishnu Nivasam and MGM High School. Thousands had queued up by Wednesday morning to obtain free ‘sarva darshan’ tokens for the festival.
The stampede reportedly began when a gate was opened to assist a distressed woman. This caused a sudden surge among the tightly packed crowd, leading to chaos, injuries and fatalities.
TTD arranged for the distribution of 120,000 tokens for January 10–12. Special counters were established at 94 locations across Tirupati, including Srinivasam and Bhudevi complexes, to streamline the process.
Despite planning, the overwhelming number of devotees created a stampede-like situation, particularly at Srinivasam. Officials acknowledged that the gathering exceeded their expectations, complicating crowd control efforts.
Authorities have launched an inquiry into the incident and are reviewing safety protocols for the festival. Measures are being taken to ensure better crowd management during the upcoming days of Vaikunta Dwara Darshanam.
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