Hundreds of devotees turned up from across the country for the 10-day Vaikunta Dwara Darshanam commencing on January 10
Police personnel try to control the crowd as hundreds of devotees jostle for tickets for Vaikunta Dwara Darshanam when a stampede broke out at Lord Venkateswara Swamy temple on Tirumala Hills, in Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025.
President Droupadi Murmu said on Thursday said she was distressed to know the loss of lives of devotees due to a stampede in Tirupati and offered her heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families.
She also prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured.
“Distressed to know that a stampede in Tirupati led to loss of life of many devotees. I extend my heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and pray for speedy recovery of the injured,” Murmu said in a post on X.
Sources said that Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu will leave for Tirupati on Thursday to visit those injured in a stampede.
Six devotees died, and over 40 were injured in the stampede on Wednesday night as hundreds of them jostled for tickets for Vaikunta Dwara Darshanam at Lord Venkateswara Swamy temple in Tirumala Hills.
Sources said that Naidu will visit SVR Ruia Government General Hospital and SVIMS Hospital between noon and 3 p.m., where the injured are treated.
The CM will also conduct a review meeting regarding the incident with the executive officer and others.
Tirupati district collector S Venkateswar on Wednesday told reporters that out of the six deceased devotees, five were women and a man.
One deceased person came from Salem in Tamil Nadu and another from Narsipatnam in Andhra Pradesh, he said.
According to the collector, the incident occurred at Bairagi Patteda near MGM School in the temple town.
Hundreds of devotees turned up from across the country for the 10-day Vaikunta Dwara Darshanam commencing on January 10.
“A few devotees dying in a stampede near Vishnu Nivasam in Tirupati while trying for Vaikuna Dwara Darsanam has grieved me intensely,” Chandrababu Naidu had said in a post on ‘X’.
Telangana CM A Revanth Reddy expressed deep shock on Wednesday night over the deaths of devotees in the stampede that took place in Tirupati.
Reddy expressed his condolences to the bereaved family members and urged the Andhra Pradesh government to provide better medical treatment to the injured.
