Tirupati witnessed hectic activities on Thursday, a day after six devotees were killed and over 40 others injured in a stampede.
Published Jan 09, 2025 | 7:58 AM ⚊ Updated Jan 09, 2025 | 8:26 PM
Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu visiting an injured woman at the SVIMS Hospital in Tirupati. (CMO Andhra Pradesh/X)
Thursday, 9 January, witnessed hectic activities in Tirupati, where six devotees, including five women, were killed in a stampede the previous night.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, and several other ministers reached Tirupati on Thursday to oversee relief operations. They also held a review meeting.
The government decided to pay compensation to bereaved families, besides offering financial aid for the injured. More than 40 people were injured in the late Wednesday incident.
Here’s a blow-by-blow account of the day’s development.
Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan on Thursday, 9 January, expressed doubt that the stampede at Tirupati — which killed six and injured more than 40 devotees — was intentional. He said the 8 December incident should be thoroughly probed.
Kalyan called for a total change in the focus of the TTD. He urged the TTD to focus more on the common man than on VIPs visiting the temple at Tirumala.
Saying that the government was taking responsibility for the tragedy, he said the TTD Executive Officer J Shyamala Rao and Joint Executive Officer CH Venkaiah Chowdhury, too, should shoulder the responsibility.
The deputy chief minister blamed the police also for the incident.
The Andhra Pradesh government has ordered a judicial inquiry into the incident.
The government has suspended DSP Ramanakumar, and Goshala Director Harinath Reddy in connection with the incident. TTD security officer S Sridhar has been transferred.
However, he has not been given any new posting.
The Andhra Pradesh government has announced an ex gratia of ₹25 lakh each to the families of those killed in the stampede.
Additionally, the TTD will employ on contract to a member each from the families.
Announcing the compensation at a news conference, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu said he was not aware why the Vaikuntha Dwara Darshan was extended to 10 days.
Nirmala, a native of Kozhinjampara in Palakkad, Kerala, tragically lost her life in the stampede at Tirupati. She was on a 10-day pilgrimage with her husband and daughter. Panchayat member Jagathambal confirmed the news.
#TirupatiStampede: Nirmala, a native of Kozhinjampara in Palakkad, #Kerala, tragically lost her life in the stampede at #Tirupati.
She was on a 10-day pilgrimage with her husband and daughter. Panchayat member Jagathambal confirmed the news.https://t.co/pnIrCycx2a pic.twitter.com/CSdwkDpns3
— South First (@TheSouthfirst) January 9, 2025
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu visits SVIMS Hospital to meet the injured and assess the situation following the tragic stampede.
#TirupatiStampede: #AndhraPradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu visits SVIMS Hospital to meet the injured and assess the situation following the tragic stampede.
Follow all live updates on this developing story here: https://t.co/pnIrCycx2a pic.twitter.com/5VJ4pxkTj5
— South First (@TheSouthfirst) January 9, 2025
#TirupatiStampede: Former minister Roja questions Deputy CM @PawanKalyan, asking if he will resign alongside CM Chandrababu Naidu and the Home Minister over the tragic incident.
She challenges him to act as a "true Sanatana Yodha" by filing criminal cases against those… pic.twitter.com/hABij53Nft
— South First (@TheSouthfirst) January 9, 2025
Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu said the stampede incident was due to the negligence of the officials.
"Minimum precautions were not taken while issuing tickets. This is why the stampede occurred," he said and reprimanded the officials, saying that it was not a mistake that should be forgiven.
He also made serious remarks about the Collector and Superintendents of Police (SPs).
"Strong steps should be taken to prevent such incidents from happening in the future," Naidu said.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu is in Tirpati and is inspecting the accident site. The officials briefed the chief minister about the stampede incident.
Chandrababu Naidu expressed anger over TTD EO and officials for neglecting security arrangements and sought a comprehensive report on the incident. The chief minister will visit the victims soon.
"It is not right that such incidents happen despite the availability of good technology and information systems," he said.
#TirupatiStampede: A family member of one of the deceased in the tragic Tirupati incident spoke to @TheSouthfirst, claiming that the FIR falsely states that the woman was already sick when arriving for ticket collection.
The husband of the deceased disputed this, stating that… pic.twitter.com/4OBv956oLF
— South First (@TheSouthfirst) January 9, 2025
Officials said Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan will visit the victims of the Tirupati stampede on Thursday evening.
Meanwhile, in light of the visits by Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, former chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy and Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, the state police have implemented heightened security measures in Tirupati.
Former Andhra Pradesh chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy to visit those injured in the stampede in Tirupati. The YSRCP chief is expected to reach Tirupati at 4 pm on Thursday.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu has left for Tirupati to meet the people injured in the stampede and the kin of the deceased.
He directed officials to quickly identify those responsible and register criminal cases against those responsible. The chief minister also ordered the immediate suspension of those responsible.
Meanwhile, police officials say two cases have already been registered.
Former Union minister Chinta Mohan said that the accident had nothing to do with the failure of TTD.
"They were innocent devotees who had come from elsewhere. Almost all of them were diabetic patients. They did not eat or drink water and waited anxiously in the queue for tickets. Their sugar level dropped and they fell and died," he claimed.
#TirupatiStampede: Former Union Minister Chinta Mohan comments on the #Tirupati incident.
The Union Minister stated that six people died in the tragic incident in Tirupati yesterday. He clarified that the incident was unrelated to any failure on the part of TTD (Tirumala… pic.twitter.com/ggWgS0KJoi
— South First (@TheSouthfirst) January 9, 2025
Officials said Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu will address the media at 2.45 pm on Thursday at the TTD Administrative Building in Tirupati.
He will also hold a high-level review meeting at 6.30 pm.
YSRCP leader and former Andhra Pradesh minister Roja said the accident was due to the negligence of TTD vigilance officials.
She said that Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu was a complete failure and demanded the resignation of those responsible for the incident.
"Pawan Kalyan, who calls himself a Sanatana warrior... What does he has to say about this incident?" she asked.
Andhra Pradesh Home Minister V Anitha said action will be taken against whoever is responsible for the stampede.
She added that the government would investigate whether it was an accident or a conspiracy.
Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu met the officials of the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) and decided to grant ₹25 lakh compensation to the kin of those who died in the Tirupati stampede.
Revenue Minister Satya Prasad announced the decision to grant the compensation of ₹25 lakh.
Minister Nimmala Ramanaidu said a comprehensive investigation into the Tirupati incident. Meanwhile, officials held the Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) and an ambulance driver responsible for the stampede.
They said the was a stampede due to the sudden arrival of devotees and added that although an ambulance was available, there was no driver.
Officials said the DSP did not work properly.
Former TTD Chairman Bhumana Karunakar Reddy has demanded that Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu take moral responsibility for the stampede incident at Tirupati and take stern action against the officials concerned besides paying compensation to the victims.
Speaking to the media, he said the additional EO, SP and his subordinates besides the Vigilance wing of the TTD should be held responsible and action should be taken against them. He added that a compensation of ₹1 crore should be paid to the kin of the deceased and ₹20 lakh to those injured.
URGENT: Beware of old videos being recirculated as recent footage from #TirupatiStampede. This particular video is from an incident that occurred in Tirupati in 2022, not yesterday. We urge citizens to verify facts before sharing to avoid spreading misinformation. pic.twitter.com/zuKfLL04OV
— Andhra Pradesh Police (@APPOLICE100) January 9, 2025
"This tragedy occurred because the government failed to manage the crowd despite knowing that millions of devotees would come," said Maddila Gurumurthy, Tirupati MP.
తిరుపతి ఘటన అత్యంత దురదృష్టకరం గాయపడ్డవారికి మెరుగైన వైద్యసహాయం అందించాలి.
మరణించిన వారి కుటుంబాలకు కోటి రూపాయలు పరిహారం ఇవ్వాలని కోరుతున్నాం.
లక్షలాదిగా భక్తులు వస్తారని తెలిసి కూడా ప్రభుత్వం క్రౌడ్ మేనేజ్మెంట్ చేయలేకపోవడం వల్లే ఈ దుర్ఘటన జరిగింది.
రాజకీయ కక్ష సాధింపుల్లో… pic.twitter.com/4c8eGSeUYk— YSR Congress Party (@YSRCParty) January 9, 2025
Former Chief Minister and YSRCP Chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy appealed to the government to provide better medical services to the injured.
08-01-2025
తాడేపల్లితొక్కిసలాటలో శ్రీవేంకటేశ్వరస్వామి భక్తుల మృతిపై మాజీ సీఎం శ్రీ @ysjagan దిగ్భ్రాంతి
తాడేపల్లి: తిరుమల శ్రీవేంకటేశ్వరస్వామి వైకుంఠ దర్శనంకోసం తిరుపతిలో టోకెన్లు జారీచేస్తున్న కేంద్రం వద్ద తొక్కిసలాటలో భక్తులు మరణించడంపై మాజీ ముఖ్యమంత్రి, వైయస్సార్…
— YSR Congress Party (@YSRCParty) January 8, 2025
తిరుపతిలోని బైరాగి పట్టెడ తొక్కిసలాట జరిగిన పద్మావతి పార్క్ ఏరియా ఏం.జీ.ఏం హైస్కూల్ వద్ద వైకుంఠ ద్వార దర్శన టిక్కెట్ల జారీ విధానాన్ని పరిశీలిస్తున్న టీటీడీ మాజీ చైర్మన్ భూమన కరుణాకరరెడ్డి గారు, చంద్రగిరి నియోజకవర్గ ఇంఛార్జ్ చెవిరెడ్డి మోహిత్ రెడ్డి గారు.#SaveTirumalaFromTDP… pic.twitter.com/LEzDbiywtj
— YSR Congress Party (@YSRCParty) January 9, 2025
#TirupatiStampede: At Ruia Hospital, grieving families await FIR and post-mortem reports amid confusion.
The district collector is on-site addressing concerns. Four lives lost, families demand clarity. @ShivaniNitika reports for @TheSouthfirst . pic.twitter.com/B2mXwjXMlq
— South First (@TheSouthfirst) January 9, 2025
#TirupatiTragedy: A stampede at the token counter in Tirupati on Wednesday, 8 January, claimed the lives of at least six people, including five women, and left over 40 others injured.@ShivaniNitika reports from the scene, bringing updates on the tragedy and the ongoing rescue… pic.twitter.com/FUB8NfsS5t
— South First (@TheSouthfirst) January 9, 2025
Following the stampede that occurred on Wednesday night at the token counters in Tirupati, the district collector on Thursday, 9 January, confirmed that six people lost their lives and over 30 others were injured.
Tirupati Municipal Commissioner, Narapureddy Maurya, said that the rushing of thousands of people at once to the counter led to the stampede situation.
Here is a look at how the stampede occurred at the token counter.
Tirupathi Superintendent of Police Subbarayudu said, "We opened the gates after one devotee in the line said he had breathing problems. Immediately, the remaining devotees also fell on the gate, resulting in a stampede."
The control room number of the Tirupati District Collectorate, where details of the injured persons in the stampede can be obtained, is 08772236007.
Following the stampede, the officers of the intelligence department of the Andhra Pradesh Police submitted a report to the chief minister and said the negligence of the DSP (Deputy Superintendent of Police) on duty caused the stampede.
"The negligence of the DSP on duty is one of the reasons for the stampede. The DSP did not pay attention even when the stampede started. Further, the driver of the ambulance parked it outside the ticket counter and left," the report said.
Tirupati District Collector S Venkateswar said on Thursday that a total of 40 people were injured in the stampede.
"Out of these, 28 individuals were taken to Ruia Hospital, while 12 were transported to SIMS Hospital. Tragically, four of the patients at Ruia Hospital passed away, along with two from SIMS Hospital. In total, six people have died, comprising five women and one man. So far, only two of the deceased have been identified, and the addresses of the remaining four victims are still unknown," he added.
The authorities on Thursday clarified that the stampede incident happened in Tirupati and not in Tirumala.
"The distance between Tirupati and Tirumala is over 20 km. The incident occurred at MGM school in Tirupati," they said.
"A total of nine centres (eight in Tirupati and one in Tirumala) were established for distributing 1.2 lakh Sarva Darshan (free darshan) tickets to devotees during the first three days of the Vaikunta Ekadasi festival. Token distribution through 87 outlets was started at 5 am on Wednesday," they added.
The authorities have identified the six people who lost their lives following the stampede.
Tirupati Municipal Commissioner Narapureddy Maurya said that the rushing of thousands of people at once to the counter led to the stampede situation.
"We opened eight counters for the tokens. It was peaceful everywhere except one place. The stampede was caused after those appointed there opened the gates all of a sudden at 9 pm. 4,000 to 5,000 people tried to enter at once which caused the stampede," Maurya said.
"It was really unfortunate, there were also people from Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, including children, women and old people, who were waiting there from the morning," she said,
She added that everything was under control.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu reviewed the stampede with DGP, TTD EO, District Collector and SP.
He questioned why they could not make arrangements accordingly when it was known that devotees would come in large numbers.
District officials explained the current treatment for the injured to the chief minister, who ordered to ensure better treatment for victims to prevent an increase in the death toll.
Naidu is expected to review the management and security of TTD token counters soon.
Saddened by the loss of lives in the stampede at Tirupati. My deepest condolences to the bereaved families. My thoughts and prayers are with those families who have lost their loved ones in this tragic mishap
— KTR (@KTRBRS) January 8, 2025
Deeply saddened by the tragic stampede in Tirupati resulting in the loss of devotees’ lives. My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. Requesting the Andhra Pradesh government to ensure the injured receive the best medical care and praying for their speedy recovery.
— Bandi Sanjay Kumar (@bandisanjay_bjp) January 8, 2025
Distressed to know that a stampede in Tirupati led to loss of life of many devotees. I extend my heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and pray for speedy recovery of the injured.
— President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) January 9, 2025
Deeply saddened by the tragic #stampede at #Tirupati, which has claimed innocent lives, including those from Tamil Nadu. My heartfelt condolences to the families who lost their loved ones in this unfortunate incident. Wishing the injured a swift recovery.#TirupatiStampede
— M.K.Stalin (@mkstalin) January 9, 2025
"The news of the death of several devotees in a stampede at the ticketing counters for the Vaikuntha Dwara Darshan of Lord Venkateswara in Tirumala has been deeply disturbing," Revanth Reddy said.
"I express my deepest condolences to the family members of the deceased," the chief minister added.
తిరుమల వేంకటేశ్వర స్వామి వైకుంఠ ద్వార దర్శనం టికెట్ల జారీ కౌంటర్ల వద్ద తొక్కిసలాట ఘటనలోపలువురు భక్తులు మరణించిన వార్త తీవ్రంగా కలచివేసింది.
వారి మృతికి సంతాపం తెలియజేస్తూ…మృతుల కుటుంబ సభ్యులకు నా ప్రగాఢ సానుభూతిని తెలియజేస్తున్నాను.
— Revanth Reddy (@revanth_anumula) January 8, 2025
The tragic stampede in Tirupati is deeply saddening.
My heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. Wishing a swift recovery to all those injured.
I urge Congress leaders and workers to provide all possible assistance during this difficult time.
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) January 8, 2025
Pained by the stampede in Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh. My thoughts are with those who have lost their near and dear ones. I pray that the injured recover soon. The AP Government is providing all possible assistance to those affected: PM @narendramodi
— PMO India (@PMOIndia) January 8, 2025
"In the wake of information that the condition of some of them is critical, I have directed higher officials to go to the spot and take relief measures and provide better medical treatment to the injured and save their lives. I will talk to the district and TTD officials from time to time and take stock of the situation," Chandrababu Naidu said.
తిరుమల శ్రీవారి వైకుంఠ ద్వార దర్శనం టోకెన్ల కోసం తిరుపతిలోని విష్ణు నివాసం దగ్గర జరిగిన తోపులాటలో పలువురు భక్తులు మృతి చెందడం దిగ్భ్రాంతిని కలిగించింది. టోకెన్ల కోసం భక్తులు పెద్ద ఎత్తున తరలివచ్చిన సందర్భంలో చోటుచేసుకున్న ఈ విషాదకర ఘటన నన్ను తీవ్రంగా కలిచివేసింది. మరి కొందరి…
— N Chandrababu Naidu (@ncbn) January 8, 2025
