Andhra Pradesh should take concrete steps to prevent stampede at Tirumala, other temples

Hyderabad: Second major stampede haunts Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu.

While one cannot blame Naidu for the Tirumala fiasco, but it has happened again during his tenure after the deadly July 14, 2015 stampede where 27 pilgrims had died and 20 injured. The event was during Godavari Pushkaralu on the banks of the river Rajamahendravaram in Rajahmundry. It will certainly give the Opposition a stick to beat the TD led NDA government in Andhra Pradesh.

The stampede for Vaikunta Ekadasi dwaram darshan tokens has left six persons dead and 48 injured. The injured are undergoing treatment in Sri Venkateswara Ramnarain Ruia Hospital and SVIMS.

Tragically, the dead include five women and one male. A woman from Tamil Nadu who had fallen sick, Mallika, 49 died due to suffocation and ill health, according to preliminary investigation.

Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam had announced 1.20 lakh tokens for Vaikunta Ekadasi, considered auspicious for darshan of Lord Venkateswara Swamy on January 10 to 12.

Not an isolated case

The stampede in the temple town of Tirumala is not an isolated case. Such incidents have been happening over the years at major temples and other events across the country due to the rush of pilgrims, visitors. The main reason is mismanagement. The last incident in Andhra Pradesh took place in Rajamahendravaram during the tenure of Naidu.

Preliminary investigations in Tirumala stampede revealed a woman devotee Mallika, suddenly fell ill while waiting in the queue at one of the token counters at Bairagipatteda Park and the security guard opened the gate for taking her to hospital. Meanwhile, the crowds waiting outside took advantage of the opening of the gate and rushed inside leading to stampede.

The overwhelming crowd at the counters, including Vishnu Nivasam, Bairagipatteda, and Ramachandra Pushkarini, led to chaos as the arrangements were reportedly not adequate.

Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu ordered an inquiry and asked the Chairman of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams Trust Board, B.R. Naidu to ensure medicare and succor to the injured.

While B R Naidu regretted the incident and promised all help to kin of the dead and injured, Bhanu Prakash Reddy, a TTD board member said 91 counters were opened for the distribution of tokens which was to commence on Thursday morning.

“This has never happened in TTD’s history. I apologise to devotees. We will conduct an inquiry and take serious action and stand by the victims and injured,” he said.

Temple authorities had decided to deploy around 3000 policemen in Tirumala and Tirupathi for the event.

Pushkar fiasco

When Chandrababu Naidu was CM and went to undertake a holy dip at Pushkar Ghat in Rajamahendravaram on July 14, 2015 there was a rush of pilgrims and in the process 27 pilgrims died in the stampede, mostly women and children.

An inquiry was ordered and the government then announced ex-gratia of Rs 10 lakh each to kin of the dead and free medicare to the injured.

Then Opposition leader Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy blamed Naidu for the deaths alleging that it was “a bit of a gimmick and publicity stunt” by CM Naidu in taking holy dip at a public Pushkar Ghat instead of one earmarked for VIPs.

He demanded CM to do soul searching and resign.

In fact, stampedes at major temple festivities have been happening over the years. The last being on March 31, 2023 when 36 people were killed when a slab constructed on top of an ancient well collapsed during a havan programme held during Sri Rama Navami at a temple in Indore.

On January 1, 2022, 12 people died and several injured in a stampede at famed Mata Vaishnava Devi shrine in Jammu and Kashmir due to sudden rush.