Andhra Pradesh Deputy CM Pawan Kalyan Takes Responsibility for Tirupati Stampede Tragedy
Tirupati, 9th January 2025: Andhra Pradesh’s Deputy Chief Minister, Pawan Kalyan, took full responsibility for the stampede that occurred near the Vaikuntha Dwara Darshan ticketing counters in Tirupati, which resulted in six fatalities on Wednesday.
“We are taking complete responsibility for this incident. We are not evading any accountability. I assure you that the guilty will face appropriate action,” Kalyan stated.
His comments came amid growing criticism directed at the state government, led by Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, and the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), which manages the temple’s affairs.
Earlier, one of the two FIRs filed by Tirupati police about the stampede, which led to the deaths and injuries of several individuals, suggested that the crowd was at fault. The FIR, based on a complaint filed by M Jayaramulu, tahsildar of Narayanavanam Mandal, was lodged at the Tirupati East police station.
The FIR cited Section 194 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, which addresses affray in public places when two or more people engage in a violent dispute disturbing public peace. The complaint stated that the victims had gone to Sri Ramanaidu School to collect tokens for the Vaikunta Ekadasi darshan and were waiting at Sri Padmavathi Park when a sudden rush of devotees led to people tripping and falling. They were subsequently rushed to the hospital but were declared dead.
The first FIR identified five of the deceased, with a sixth victim later confirmed. The incident took place amidst a crowd of over 4,000 devotees seeking tokens for the 10-day special darshan. Eyewitnesses explained that the stampede was triggered when the police opened the gates for token distribution, creating chaos, as no prior system had been in place for obtaining tokens.
A woman who was present at the scene described the chaos: “A stampede occurred due to the heavy rush. When the police opened the gate, the pilgrims surged to buy tokens. There was no system in place for obtaining tokens earlier. Out of twenty members of my family, six were injured. While waiting in the queue, we were given milk and biscuits. However, the large crowd caused injuries to several women, who were later taken to the hospital.”
The stampede occurred near Vishnu Nivasam, close to the Tirumala Srivari Vaikuntha Dwara ticketing counter. Officials from the TTD confirmed the incident, which took place during the distribution of ‘darshan’ tokens.
Chief Minister Naidu visited Tirupati to meet the injured and inspect the management and security measures at the TTD token counters. He expressed being “deeply disturbed” by the incident and instructed officials to provide adequate relief to those affected. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also extended his condolences to the families of the deceased.
The Andhra Pradesh government has announced a compensation of Rs 25 lakh each for the families of the six devotees who lost their lives in the tragic stampede at the Sri Venkateswara Swamy temple in Tirupati.
