A stampede claimed the lives of six devotees and left more than 30 injured during the broadcast of Vaikuntha Dwara Sarva Darshan chips for Lord Venkateswara Temple in Tirupati on Wednesday night.
Chaos broke out around 8 pm when officials of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams started distributing tokens at various centres, including Vishnu Nivasam, Srinivasam and Padmavati Park. The stampede occurred at two places when doors were opened to allow a sick devotee to leave the queue. Devotees, many of whom had been waiting since early morning, rushed forward, resulting in serious overcrowding and disorder.
Mallika, a devotee from Salem in Tamil Nadu, died of her injuries while being transported to Ruia Hospital in the temple town. Three other people died during treatment at Ruia Hospital and two more died at SVIMS. Authorities fear that the number of victims will increase, as some of the injured are critical.
In constant touch with district and TTD officials, says CM Naidu
Witnesses reported inadequate crowd management. “Not even four police officers were present when the door opened. Thousands of people who waited for hours rushed to collect the tokens,” said one survivor. Another devotee at Padmavati Park criticized the token distribution process: “This tragedy could have been avoided if the system had continued to function after the Covid years.”
Vaikuntha Dwara Sarva Darshan is an important event for devotees as it offers a special darshan which is believed to give a glimpse of the divine gates of heaven (Vaikuntha). The event attracts thousands of devotees, particularly during the Vaikuntha Ekadashi festival, when crowds can peak at over 2-3 lakh. TTD had planned to distribute tokens across 94 counters at nine centers for Vaikuntha Dwara Sarva Darshan, scheduled for January 10, 11 and 12. However, the sudden influx of devotees overwhelmed the system.
Andhra CM Naidu expressed shock over the tragedy and said he was in constant communication with the district and TTD officials. He had ordered senior officials to visit the spot and ensure that the injured received the best care.