In a tragic turn of events, six devotees lost their lives and over 40 others were injured during the Vaikunta Ekadasi celebrations in Tirupati on January 8.
The incidents, which occurred at multiple locations across the city, have raised serious concerns about the management of large crowds during such major religious events.
The first case involved the death of R. Malliga, a 50-year-old woman from Mettur Salem in Tamil Nadu. She collapsed in the queue for darshan tokens at Vishnunivasam due to the overwhelming crowd. According to the complaint filed by P. Srinivasulu, a Tahsildar from Balaiahpalli Mandal, Malliga fainted amidst the heavy rush of devotees. Despite being rushed to the Sri Venkateswara Ramnarain Ruia Government General Hospital (SVRRGG), she was declared dead on arrival.
The FIR, which was lodged by the local police, cited overcrowding as a significant factor contributing to the tragedy, in addition to Malliga’s health condition. The report noted, “When other devotees rushed towards the queue line, she fell to the ground due to her ill health.”
In a separate case, another FIR was lodged by M. Jayaramulu, a 61-year-old Tahsildar from Narayanavanam Mandal, following the deaths of five other devotees. The victims, including Smt. Kandipilli Santhi (35) from Visakhapatnam, Guddla Rajini (45), Boddeti Naidu Babu (55), Suri Setty Lavanya Swathi (37), and Nirmala from Tamil Nadu, were all part of the crowd waiting for darshan tokens at Padmavathi Park near Ramanaidu School.
According to the complaint, a sudden surge in the queue caused the victims to lose their balance and fall. They were rushed to the hospital but were declared dead shortly thereafter.
The tragic events have drawn strong reactions from political leaders, with many questioning the government’s preparedness. Bhuma Karunakar Reddy, the former Chairman of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), criticized the state government for its failure to manage the crowd effectively. Expressing his deep sorrow over the incident, he questioned why adequate arrangements were not made, despite the knowledge that thousands of devotees would attend the event. Reddy pointed to the stampede at Vishnu Nivasam as a clear example of administrative shortcomings.
The stampede not only claimed the lives of six devotees but also left dozens injured, highlighting the urgent need for better crowd management systems during such high-traffic religious events.
The incident has sparked calls for more robust safety measures to prevent similar tragedies in the future, as the authorities face growing pressure to ensure the safety and well-being of attendees during large-scale festivals.
