Wednesday, January 8, 2025 A tragic stampede occurred on Wednesday night at the Lord Venkateswara Swamy temple on Tirumala Hills, claiming the lives of six devotees and injuring dozens. The incident unfolded as hundreds of worshippers gathered to secure tickets for the Vaikunta Dwara Darshanam, set to commence on January 10. Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) Chairman B.
R. Naidu confirmed the fatalities, stating, “One body has been identified.” Reports suggest the stampede was triggered when a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) opened the gates, leading to a chaotic rush.
Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu expressed deep grief over the incident in a post on ‘X’ (formerly Twitter), stating, “A few devotees dying in a stampede near Vishnu Nivasam in Tirupati while trying for Vaikunta Dwara Darshanam has grieved me intensely.” The CM has scheduled a visit to Tirupati on Thursday to meet the injured and ensure appropriate action is taken.
TTD Chairman Naidu revealed that the Chief Minister conducted a teleconference to address the incident, expressing dissatisfaction with temple employees. “There is some suspicion that it happened due to administrative lapses,” Naidu stated, adding that measures would be implemented to prevent such occurrences in the future. He also announced that the CM is expected to declare ex-gratia compensation for the victims’ families.
TTD board member Bhanu Prakash called the stampede “unfortunate” and sought the forgiveness of.