Following his visit to Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu announced on Thursday, January 9, the suspension of a police officer and a Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) official. Three other officials were transferred in connection with the tragic stampede incident in which six persons had died, a day earlier. The Chief Minister also confirmed that a judicial inquiry would be conducted to uncover the causes of the tragedy.
The stampede occurred near the MGM High School in Bairagipatteda, Tirupati, one of several locations designated for the distribution of special darshan tickets for Vaikunta Ekadasi. Thousands of devotees had gathered early on January 8 to secure tickets for the Vaikunta Dwara Darshanam, a significant religious event at the Tirumala Venkateswara Temple.
According to authorities, the stampede was triggered when Deputy Superintendent of Police (DySP) Ramana Kumar opened a locked gate to assist an unwell woman. Devotees, mistakenly assuming that ticket distribution had begun, rushed toward the gate, causing the fatal incident.
Speaking to the media after visiting the stampede location and the hospitalised survivors, Naidu said, “I found some loopholes and leakages (in the crowd management). Deputy Superintendent of Police Ramana Kumar, and SV Goshala Director Harinatha Reddy, were responsible for avoiding such an incident and protecting devotees. They are being suspended as they did not do their duty.”
Tirupati Superintendent of Police (SP) L Subbarayudu, TTD Joint Executive Officer (JEO) M Gowthami, and TTD Chief Vigilance and Security Officer (CVSO) S Sreedhar are transferred, the CM said.
Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) had planned to issue around 1.2 lakh tickets for darshan January 10, 11 and 12. Starting from January 8 afternoon, devotees began to gather at the counters to avail the tickets. A total of 94 counters were set up in nine places across Tirupati.
TTD Executive Officer J Shyamala Rao had said that at the Bairagipatteda counter where the stampede happened, around 2000 devotees had gathered by the night of January 8. “A Deputy Superintendent of Police (DySP) opened the gate, and everyone rushed in at once, resulting in the stampede,” he said. The police officer had opened the gate to help a woman who was unwell and about to faint, according to district Collector S Venkateswar.
Naidu explained that the devotees had been waiting in a park with its gates locked. “Someone was unwell, and the gate was opened. Immediately people panicked, assuming that tickets were being given elsewhere, and the stampede occurred as they rushed towards the gate. The Deputy SP not thinking things through when opening the gate is wrong. That is why he is suspended,” he said.
He added that those responsible for execution of the ticket distribution had failed. “Even if the people were sent in a queue thirty minutes to an hour earlier, this would not have happened,” he said.
“Whether it happened knowingly or unknowingly, due to incompetence or otherwise, affecting the sanctity of god is not right,” he said, adding, “We are serving God; we must not do politics.”
He went on to say that the location of issuing tokens (in Tirupati city) itself was wrong, adding that it was a new practice introduced under the previous YSRCP government. He said that people prefer waiting in line on the Tirumala hill, as they find it satisfying to be in God's service.
He also said that the Vaikunta Ekadasi special dwara darshan, which many Hindus believe will help them enter heaven in the afterlife, used to be a one or two-day event. “This was made into a ten-day affair,” Naidu said, adding that TTD will consult priests and review whether to continue this practice.
When asked if an online ticketing system will be introduced, Naidu said that the government will consult all stakeholders and make a decision. “We could even use Aadhaar, Artificial Intelligence and facial recognition technology to enable a seamless process,” he said.
When asked about devotees’ allegations that there were inadequate police personnel deployed to manage the crowd, Naidu said, “The Tirupati civil administration and TTD administration must have better coordination. We will establish mechanisms for that.”
Naidu announced that as compensation for the families of the deceased, apart from a Rs 25 lakh ex gratia, the government will also provide contact-based jobs to a family member. Two severely injured persons will be given Rs 5 lakh each, and the remaining 38 injured persons will be given Rs 2 lakh each, the Chief Minister said.
He said that his government was fixing the previous YSRCP government’s mistakes one by one. “Whichever government makes a mistake, Lord Venkateswara will not spare us,” he said.