Guntur (Andhra Pradesh) [India], January 9 (ANI): Six people died and 40 others have been injured in the stampede at the Tirupati Temple.
The scale of the incident has seen the opposition leaders target the Chandrababu Naid government, former TTD Chairman Bhuma Karunakar Reddy slammed the coalition government over the tragic stampede incident at Vishnu Nivasam in Tirupati, attributing it to administrative failure.
He expressed deep sorrow over the loss of lives and questioned the lack of proper arrangements for Vaikuntha Ekadashi Darshan, despite knowing that lakhs of devotees would attend.
Bhuma Karunakar Reddy stated that controversial individuals were given control of TTD, turning it into a political hub. He claimed that the ruling party ignored devotees’ welfare and compromised the sanctity of Lord Venkateswara’s temple.
He further stated that such incidents never occurred in the last five years, blaming the current government for neglecting devotees’ safety. He pointed out a lack of coordination between officials and accused the Tirupati SP of acting like a TDP worker instead of focusing on devotees’ protection. He criticized the TTD Chairman for prioritizing political propaganda over serving devotees and demanded an inquiry into allegations of ticket mismanagement. He also called for action against the TTD Chairman, local SP, and other responsible officials. He said the government must take responsibility for this tragedy and apologize to Lord Venkateswara’s devotees.
Former Minister for Endowments Velampalli Srinivas also criticized the state government for its failure to manage the arrangements during the Mukkoti Ekadashi event at Tirupati.
He stated that the event is not a sudden occurrence and has been known in advance, with lakhs of devotees expected to attend. Despite this, he said that the government neglected the necessary arrangements, leading to the stampede and tragic deaths.
He held the government accountable for the incident, terming the deaths as a result of government negligence. Velampalli Srinivas accused the TTD Chairman of prioritizing VIP services over devotees’ welfare and criticized the TTD EO for lack of awareness of the responsibilities. He alleged that TTD has become a political hub under the current administration.
The former minister expressed his condolences to the families of the deceased and prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured. He called for strict action against those responsible and urged the Chief Minister to focus on providing proper facilities to devotees instead of publicity stunts.
Earlier, former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and YSRCP President YS Jagan Mohan Reddy expressed deep shock and grief over the tragic deaths of devotees in a stampede at the token distribution centre for Vaikuntha Ekadashi Darshan at Tirupati.
He conveyed his heartfelt condolences to the families of the deceased and urged the government to ensure the best medical care for those injured. He described the loss of lives while collecting tokens for Vaikuntha Ekadashi Darshan as deeply saddening and called for immediate and urgent measures to restore order at the location. He also wished for the speedy recovery of the injured devotees undergoing treatment in hospitals.
Meanwhile, the state government has assured that adequate arrangements are in place ahead of the Vaikunth Ekadasi which gets underway on Friday. Vaikunta Dwara Darshan is scheduled to be held at the Tirumala Sri Venkateswara Temple from January 10 to 19. It allows devotees to pass through the sacred gate to receive Lord Venkateswara’s blessings.
The Tirupati Collector, S Venkateswar said that police personnel have been deployed outside the ticket counters. The official further added that 1.2 lakh tickets have been sold for Vaikunta Dwara Darshanam at Lord Venkateswara Swamy temple in Tirumala Hills. (ANI)
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