Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu has convened a review meeting on Thursday following the tragic stampede at the Tirupati temple that resulted in the death of six devotees and left 40 others injured, according to a spokesperson from the Telugu Desam Party (TDP).
Chief Minister Naidu is also scheduled to meet the families of the deceased later in the day.
TDP National Spokesperson Prem Kumar Jain emphasized that the state government is taking proactive measures to prevent similar incidents in the future. Speaking to ANI, Jain said: “The unfortunate incident at the Tirumala Tirupati Temple claimed the lives of six devotees and injured around 40. I pray for peace for the departed souls. Measures are being taken to ensure such incidents do not occur again. CM Chandrababu Naidu has called a review meeting and will soon visit the temple to assess the situation firsthand.”
Jain noted that devotees had gathered for the occasion of ‘Vaikuntha Ekadashi,’ and arrangements had been made to manage the crowd. He added that among the six deceased, one was a woman from Tamil Nadu, and the government will provide ex-gratia compensation to the families of the deceased.
“Our government will ensure proper treatment for the injured and provide necessary assistance to those affected,” he assured.
The stampede occurred near Vishnu Niwasam, close to the Tirumala Srivari Vaikuntha Dwara ticketing counter, during the distribution of ‘darshan’ tokens.
The Vaikuntha Dwara Darshan at the Tirumala Sri Venkateswara Temple is scheduled to take place from January 10 to 19. This annual event allows devotees to pass through the sacred gate to receive blessings from Lord Venkateswara.
Offline tokens for darshan have now been made available at various distribution centers in Tirupati to manage the crowd effectively. The government and temple authorities are working together to prevent further chaos and ensure a smooth experience for devotees.
The incident has drawn widespread condolences and calls for better safety measures to avoid similar tragedies in the future.