At least six devotees died and about 40 were injured in a stampede at the Lord Venkateswara Swamy temple in Tirupathi, Andhra Pradesh, on Wednesday night.
Police said the incident happened when hundreds of devotees were jostling for tickets to the 10-day Vaikunta Dwara Darshan festival, commencing from Jan 10.
The Vaikunta Dwara Darshan, coinciding with the Vaikuntha Ekadashi festival, is a highly revered event. Devotees believe this darshan offers a glimpse of the divine gates of heaven (Vaikuntha).
Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) chairman B.R. Naidu said one body has been identified.
According to him, when a gate was opened by a police officer to assist a woman feeling unwell, the crowd surged forward all at once, leading to chaos.
“In the (ensuing) stampede, six persons died,” Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu told a vernacular news channel.
A woman told the Press Trust of India news agency that out of the 20 members of her family who were in the queue, six were injured.
“We were in the queue for nearly eight hours,” she said. “We were provided with milk and biscuits while waiting. But suddenly a large number of male pilgrims rushed for tokens, causing injuries to several women, who were later taken to hospital.”
Among those who died was Ms Mallika, a devotee from Salem, Tamil Nadu, who succumbed to her injuries en route to Ruia Hospital.
Three others died while receiving treatment at Ruia hospital, while two more died at SVIMS hospital, reported the Times of India.
Authorities fear the death toll may rise as several injured remain in critical condition.
Officials said 94 counters had been set up to distribute 120,000 tickets to the devotees from 5am on Jan 9. But thousands had begun to queue from the night before.
Tirupathi Municipal Commissioner N. Moruya said the situation went out of control at a counter set up at M.G.M. High School in Bairagipatteda. Around 5,000 people began pushing and jostling, leading to the stampede.
Chief Minister Naidu said the incident has “deeply disturbed” him. He said he has been in constant contact with district and TTD officials, monitoring the situation.
“The death of several devotees in a stampede near Vishnu Niwasam in Tirupathi has shocked me,” he wrote on X.
“I have instructed senior officials to visit the site, oversee relief efforts and ensure the injured receive top-notch medical care,” he added.
Eyewitnesses blamed poor crowd control for the disaster.
“This tragedy could have been avoided if more security presonnel were present,” said a devotee.
Another survivor alleged that barely four police personnel were present when the gate opened.
The TTD, which administers the iconic Lord Venkateswara temple, is among the wealthiest religious institutions worldwide. It generates significant revenue through offerings, darshan tickets, donations and services.
In 2024 alone, more than 25 million pilgrims visited the temple. The Vaikunta Dwara Darshan festival attracts millions, with attendance peaking at more than 300,000 on key days.
