Tirupati Stampede: Six Dead, Over 30 Injured During Token Distribution for Vaikunthadwara Darshan
Highlighting the pressing need for better crowd management during large-scale religious gatherings, a tragic incident unfolded on Wednesday evening in the temple town of Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh. During the distribution of Vaikunthadwara Sarvadarshan tokens, a stampede occurred, leading to the unfortunate death of six devotees and severe injuries to over 30 others, with several in critical condition, sparking fears among authorities that the death toll might rise.
The stampede took place at various centers where tokens were being distributed for the Vaikunthadwara Darshan, scheduled for January 10, coinciding with Vaikuntha Ekadashi. Vishnu Nivasam, Srinivasam, and Padmavati Park were among the locations where the tokens were being issued. The situation spiraled out of control when an unwell devotee required assistance, prompting officials to open the gates, which led to a sudden surge of devotees and severe overcrowding.
According to reports, 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 the Vaikunthadwara Darshan through 94 counters at nine centers across Tirupati. 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. Later, TTD 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, stating that the stampede, triggered by a massive crowd surge, was distressing. He 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-priority medical treatment.
Eyewitness accounts 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.
