A sad incident occurred at the Tirumala temple in Tirupati on the night of January 8, 2025, when a stampede led to the deaths of six devotees and injured over 20 others. This happened as many people gathered to get tickets for darshan during the Vaikunta Ekadasi festival, according to B.R. Naidu, the Chairman of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) Trust Board.
The TTD had set up about 90 ticket counters in different areas of Tirupati and announced that tickets would be available starting at 5 a.m. on January 9. This announcement drew a huge crowd of excited devotees wanting to secure their spot for darshan on January 10.
Unfortunately, the large number of people at the ticket counters, including places like Vishnu Nivasam, Bairagipatteda, and Ramachandra Pushkarini, caused chaos. The arrangements were not enough to handle the big crowd, leading to pushing and shoving as people rushed to get their tickets. The police had a hard time controlling the crowd, which contributed to the tragic stampede.
The injured were quickly taken to the Sri Venkateswara Ramnarain Ruia (SVRR) Hospital for treatment. Authorities are still working to identify those who died and those who were hurt.
Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu expressed his shock over the incident. He has instructed TTD and police officials to provide the best medical care for the injured and has called for strict action against those responsible for the chaos.
This tragic event has overshadowed the Vaikunta Ekadasi festival, which is usually a time of joy and devotion for many pilgrims visiting the Tirumala temple.
