Tragic Stampede at Tirupati Temple Claims Six Lives During Darshan Token Distribution

A devastating stampede at the Tirumala Srivari Vaikuntha Dwara in Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, has resulted in the deaths of at least six devotees, including three women, as hundreds scrambled to collect darshan tokens for the Vaikunta Dwara Darshanam at the Lord Venkateswara Swamy temple. The tragic incident occurred on Wednesday, January 8, 2025, near Vishnu Niwasam.

Police reports suggest that the stampede unfolded as devotees pushed and jostled in the rush to secure tickets for the special darshan, which draws large crowds every year. In response to the incident, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu expressed shock and concern, quickly reviewing the situation with senior officials including the DGP, TTD EO, District Collector, and SP.

Naidu, who will visit Tirupati on Thursday to meet the injured, ordered immediate attention to ensure that the victims receive proper treatment, to prevent the death toll from rising further. In his statement, the CM questioned why adequate arrangements were not made despite the anticipated surge of devotees, with hundreds arriving for the 10-day Vaikunta Dwara Darshanam starting on January 10.

Meanwhile, distressing footage of the incident surfaced on social media, showing police administering CPR to injured women and other devotees being rushed to ambulances. The tragic stampede follows similar incidents in other parts of the country, including a stampede-like situation in Thane, Maharashtra, and Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, though no casualties were reported in those cases.

News Source : “Information for this article was gathered from a variety of reliable news outlets.”