New Delhi:
Two days earlier than the Vaikuntha Ekadasi competition was set to start at Lord Venkateswara Swamy temple on Andhra Pradesh’s Tirumala Hills, massive crowds descended at over 90 ticket counters arrange for the competition.
Arrangements have been in place for the distribution of 1,20,000 tokens to devotees for the “sarva darshan” (free darshan) of Lord Venkateshwara Swamy for the primary three days of the annual darshan on January 10 to 12.
Darshan tokens for the 10-day competition have been to be handed from 5 am on Thursday, however hundreds of individuals gathered an evening earlier than at counters arrange by Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), which oversees temple operations.
The distribution preparations have been made at 94 counters at three pilgrim lodges – Vishnu Nivasam, Srinivasam and Bhudevi complexes, apart from different locations like Satyanarayanapuram, Bairagipatteda and Ramanaidu faculty in Tirupati, officers mentioned.
Tirupati Municipal Commissioner N Moruya mentioned the state of affairs went uncontrolled on the counter arrange at MGM High School in Bairagipatteda, close to the Vishnu Nivasam temple. Around 4,000-5,000 folks thronged the counter from Wednesday morning. By the night, the gang turned unruly, resulting in pushing and jostling.
According to BR Naidu, chairman of TTD, when a gate was opened to help a girl feeling unwell, the gang surged ahead suddenly, resulting in chaos.
Lack of satisfactory preparations to handle the crowds resulted in a stampede late Wednesday night, by which not less than six devotees died and over 40 have been have been injured. Tirupati Collector S Venkateswar instructed NDTV that it took round quarter-hour to manage evacuate the gang.
The competition permits devotees to wish to the deity Lord Venkateswara from the northern entrance of the temple.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi mentioned his ideas have been with those that misplaced their “close to and pricey ones”. Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi urged Congress employees to offer all potential help on this tough time.
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu condoled the incident, saying it “deeply disturbed” him. “The dying of a number of devotees in a stampede close to Vishnu Niwasam in Tirupati for tokens to go to Tirumala Srivari Vaikuntha Dwara has shocked me. This tragic incident, which came about at a time when devotees had gathered in massive numbers for tokens, deeply disturbed me,” Chandrababu Naidu wrote in a submit in Telugu on X.