Amaravati : A stampede in Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, on Wednesday evening, left at least six devotees dead and many injured, as thousands gathered to secure tickets for a sacred event at the revered Lord Venkateswara Swamy temple on Tirumala Hills.

The chaos unfolded near the Vishnu Nivasam temple in Tirupati, where the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) had set up counters to distribute tokens for the annual Vaikunta Dwara Darshanam, a highly anticipated festival that begins on January 10. The 10-day event, allowing devotees a special darshan of the deity through the northern entrance, draws pilgrims from across the country.

By Wednesday morning, thousands had lined up at designated counters, including one at MGM High School in Bairagipatteda. As the day progressed, the crowd swelled and jostling intensified. According to government officials, the stampede occurred when a gate was opened to assist a distressed woman. The crowd surged forward, leading to chaos and fatalities, reported The Hindustan Times.

The TTD had arranged for the distribution of 120,000 tokens for the first three days of the festival (January 10–12). These tokens were meant for ‘sarva darshan’, a free opportunity to worship Lord Venkateswara. Special counters had been set up at 94 locations, including Vishnu Nivasam, Srinivasam, Bhudevi complexes, and other sites in Tirupati.

Despite meticulous planning, the overwhelming number of devotees created a ‘stampede-like situation’, particularly at Srinivasam, where crowds surged toward the counters. An official also told The Hindustan Times that the scale of the gathering exceeded expectations, making it difficult to manage the flow of devotees.

Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu expressed his deep sorrow over the incident, calling it a shocking and tragic event. In a statement on X (formerly Twitter), he said, “The death of several devotees in a stampede near Vishnu Nivasam in Tirupati for tokens to visit Tirumala Srivari Vaikuntha Dwara has shocked me. This tragic incident, which took place at a time when devotees had gathered in large numbers for tokens, deeply disturbed me.”

The chief minister further assured that relief efforts were underway, with officials providing medical aid to the injured. “I have directed higher officials to take relief measures… to provide better medical treatment to the injured and save their lives,” he said.

The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams expressed regret over the stampede. Bhanu Prakash, a TTD board member, called the incident unfortunate and sought forgiveness from the devotees, news agency PTI reported.

Prakash acknowledged lapses in crowd management and promised strict action to prevent such tragedies in the future. “Lives lost cannot be brought back, and we sincerely apologise to (Srivari) Lord Venkateswara Swamy devotees,” he said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the loss of lives. In a post from the PMO, he said, “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.”

Union Home Minister Amit Shah also shared his condolences, stating, “Pained by the unfortunate incident of the stampede in the Tirupati temple. My sincere condolences to the families of the deceased. May the injured recover at the earliest.”

Both leaders assured full support to the state government in managing the aftermath and providing aid to the victims.