On the evening of January 8, 2025, a devastating stampede broke out at the Vishnu Nivasam in the temple town of Tirupati, leading to the loss of six lives and injuring many others.
The incident occurred during the distribution of tokens for the highly anticipated Vaikuntha Dwara Sarvadarshanam, which was set to begin on January 10.
A huge influx of devotees was expected, yet the tragedy had unfolded, raising questions over the arrangements.
How did it happen?
Chaos ensued as thousands of devotees gathered to secure tokens for the special darshan, a significant event in the Hindu calendar where devotees get the opportunity to have darshan through the Vaikuntha Dwaram for ten days, starting from Vaikunta Ekadasi.
Eyewitnesses reported a massive rush of people, leading to the tragic stampede around 8 pm when the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) officials began distributing the tokens at various centers.
TTD Chairman, BR Naidu, confirmed the death toll and explained that overcrowding was a primary cause of the unfortunate incident and held the Intelligence partly responsible.
‘The situation was peaceful at every counter except one at MGM school where the stampede occurred,’ stated Tirupati Municipal Commissioner Mourya, noting the congregation of approximately 4000-5000 devotees.
The aftermath saw a heavy police presence as they managed the situation, with injured individuals being rushed to the Sri Venkateswara Ramnarayan Ruia Government General Hospital. Visuals from the hospital showed the gravity of the situation, with emergency services working tirelessly to treat the wounded.
Leaders express grief
Political leaders across the spectrum expressed their grief and condolences. Prime Minister Narendra Modi conveyed his sympathy and hoped for the speedy recovery of those injured.
Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu said he was deeply disturbed and announced plans to visit Tirupati to oversee the treatment of the injured and console the bereaved families.
Former Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, YS Jagan, expressed shock over the incident.
Criticism mounts
The incident has sparked a significant discussion on crowd management during religious events.
Opposition parties and critics have pointed out the need for better planning, implementing an online token system, or enhancing physical crowd control measures to prevent future tragedies.
There’s also a call for an inquiry into the event’s management to learn from this tragedy and ensure such incidents do not recur.
