Six individuals lost their lives in a stampede near the Vaikuntha Dwara Darshan ticket counters in Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh. The tragic incident occurred as thousands of devotees rushed for tokens ahead of the Vaikuntha Ekadasi and Vaikuntha Dwara Darshanam event.
BY PC Bureau
Three Dead in Tirupati Stampede
Stampede at Vishnu Niwasam in Tirupati Claims Three Lives
Chaos erupted at Vishnu Nivasam in Tirupati during the distribution of Vaikunthadwara Sarvadarshanam tokens, leading to a deadly stampede.
A massive rush of devotees attempting to secure… pic.twitter.com/IF49Vi38GM
— Sudhakar Udumula (@sudhakarudumula) January 8, 2025
A stampede at the Vaikuntha Dwara Darshan ticketing centers in Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, claimed the lives of six people on Wednesday. The incident occurred amid a crowd of over 4,000 devotees who were rushing to secure tokens for the 10-day special darshan event.
Reacting to the tragedy, Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu expressed his deep concern and ordered immediate relief measures for the injured. The event, organized by the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), is part of the Vaikuntha Ekadasi and Vaikuntha Dwara Darshanam, which is scheduled to run from January 10 to January 19.
One of the victims has been identified as Mallika. BR Naidu, Chairman of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams board, is currently conducting an emergency meeting to address the situation and will speak to the media afterward.
The Chief Minister is in constant communication with district and TTD officials to monitor the relief efforts. “The chief minister is being regularly updated on the situation and has directed senior officials to visit the site to oversee relief operations and ensure the injured receive proper care,” said a government official.
Just a day before the incident, J. Syamala Rao, Executive Officer of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), detailed the extensive preparations for the upcoming Vaikuntha Ekadasi and Vaikuntha Dwara Darshanam. Rao emphasized that providing safe darshan for the common pilgrims was the top priority, with arrangements made to accommodate up to seven lakh devotees. He added that the Vaikuntha Dwara would remain open for ten days, with special protocols in place to ensure the safety and smooth flow of devotees.
The darshan will officially begin on January 10, starting with the protocol darshan at 4:30 AM, followed by Sarva Darshan at 8:00 AM.
