Deadly Stampede at Tirupati Temple: Overcrowding During Token Distribution Leads to Tragedy
Six devotees lost their lives, and over 30 were injured in a stampede at the Tirumala Temple during Vaikuntha Darshan token distribution. Overcrowding and lack of crowd control triggered the tragic incident.
- stampede at the Tirumala Temple during Vaikuntha Darshan token distribution
- Six devotees lost their lives, and over 30 were injured in a stampede
- Overcrowding and lack of crowd control triggered the tragic incident
A tragic incident occurred on Wednesday evening in the temple town of Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, where a stampede during the distribution of Vaikunthadwara Sarvadarshan tokens resulted in the death of six devotees and injuries to over 30 others. Several injured devotees are in critical condition, and authorities fear the death toll might rise.
The stampede took place when tokens were being distributed at various centers, including Vishnu Nivasam, Srinivasam, and Padmavati Park. The situation spiraled out of control when an unwell devotee needed assistance, prompting officials to open the gates. This led to a sudden surge of devotees, causing severe overcrowding. Many devotees had been waiting in queues since morning, and the lack of crowd control measures resulted in chaos at two locations.
The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) had planned to distribute 1.2 lakh tokens for Vaikunthadwara Darshan scheduled for January 10, coinciding with Vaikuntha Ekadashi. Tokens were to be issued across nine centers through 94 counters. However, the sudden influx of devotees overwhelmed the process, leading to the unfortunate incident.
Among the deceased was Mallika, a devotee from Salem, Tamil Nadu, who succumbed to her injuries while being taken to Ruia Hospital. Three others lost their lives during treatment at Ruia, while two more died at SVIMS. The injured devotees were immediately rushed to hospitals for medical care.
Following the incident, police and vigilance teams were deployed to control the situation. TTD later announced that tokens for subsequent days would be distributed at Vishnu Nivasam, Srinivasa, and Bhudevi complexes in Tirupati to avoid further overcrowding.
Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu expressed deep sorrow over the tragic event. He stated that the stampede, triggered by a massive crowd surge, was distressing and assured that he was in constant contact with district and TTD officials to monitor the situation. The CM directed senior officials to visit the site, oversee relief operations, and ensure that the injured receive top-notch medical treatment.
Eyewitnesses blamed the disaster on inadequate crowd management. Survivors alleged that the token distribution process lacked sufficient police personnel, which led to the chaos. “This tragedy could have been prevented if the post-Covid token system was still in place,” said a devotee at the Padmavati Park holding area.
The TTD manages the famous Lord Venkateswara temple at Tirumala, one of the wealthiest religious institutions globally. In 2024 alone, the temple attracted over 2.55 crore pilgrims, contributing Rs 1,365 crore to its Hundi collections. The Vaikunthadwara Darshan is a revered event for devotees, symbolizing a glimpse of the divine gates of heaven. The festival sees millions of devotees visiting the temple, with attendance peaking at 2-3 lakh on key days.
Despite the spiritual significance of the event, the incident highlights the pressing need for better crowd management during large-scale religious gatherings to prevent such tragedies in the future.