Stampede at Vishnu Nivasam in Tirupati: Two Devotees Dead, Four Hospitalized
Tirupati, January 08,2025: Tragedy struck at Vishnu Nivasam in Tirupati on [date] when a stampede broke out during the issuance of Vaikunthadwara Sarvadarshanam tokens, claiming the lives of six devotees and leaving twenty nine others injured.
Tirupati: Details of Victims in Tirumala Stampede Incident Identified
Tragedy struck at Tirumala as a stampede claimed the lives of six devotees, including five women and one man. The deceased have been identified as:
G. Rajani (47) from Visakhapatnam
Lavanya (40)
Shanti (34)
Mettu Salem Mallika from Tamil Nadu
Nirmala (50) from Karnataka
Boddeti Naidubabu from Narsipatnam
The injured are recovering, with 30 individuals discharged from Ruia Hospital this morning. A control room has been set up to provide information regarding the injured and deceased.
For inquiries, the control room at the Tirupati District Collectorate can be reached at 0877-2236007.
The incident unfolded as thousands of devotees gathered at the lodging complex, hoping to secure tokens for the Vaikunthadwara Sarvadarshanam. As the crowd swelled, tensions began to rise, eventually leading to a scuffle. The situation quickly spiraled out of control, resulting in a stampede.
Eyewitnesses described the scene as chaotic, with devotees pushing and shoving in a desperate attempt to secure tokens. “There was no proper crowd management, and people started panicking as the line broke. It was terrifying,” said a devotee present at the site.
Authorities have launched an inquiry into the incident to determine the cause of the stampede and identify lapses in crowd control measures. Preliminary reports suggest that the lack of adequate arrangements to handle the large crowd may have contributed to the tragedy.
In the aftermath of the incident, additional security personnel have been deployed at Vishnu Nivasam, and officials are working on streamlining the token distribution process to ensure the safety of devotees. The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) board has expressed deep regret over the incident and extended condolences to the families of the deceased.
As Vaikuntha Ekadasi approaches, the TTD is urging devotees to cooperate with authorities and follow safety guidelines to avoid further mishaps.
