Stampede in Tirupati: Chandrababu Furious at Officials for Negligence

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu expressed severe anger over the negligence of officials regarding the stampede incident that occurred at Tirupati’s Vaikuntha Dwaram darshan. Despite prior knowledge of a large turnout of devotees, he questioned why adequate arrangements were not made. Chandrababu held a review meeting via teleconference with the Andhra Pradesh DGP, TTD Executive Officer, District Collector, and Superintendent of Police, where he criticized officials for failing to take precautionary measures.

Expressing grief over the loss of lives, Chandrababu remarked that the incident deeply disturbed him. He questioned the officials' responsibility, emphasizing that vigilance is crucial in such situations. He issued orders to review the management of token distribution counters and improve security arrangements.

The Chief Minister inquired about the medical treatment being provided to the injured and instructed district officials to ensure that they receive the best possible care. He described the incident as unfortunate, especially since it occurred shortly after completing a successful program in Visakhapatnam. Chandrababu is scheduled to visit Tirupati later today to meet the injured and announce compensation for the families of the deceased.

TTD Chairman’s Statement:

TTD Chairman B.R. Naidu expressed regret over the incident and stated that Chandrababu was highly agitated by the developments. He noted that such an incident had never occurred in Tirumala before. He attributed the stampede to the opening of gates by a DSP, resulting in chaos. B.R. Naidu added that errors by certain officials led to the unfortunate incident and assured that measures would be taken to prevent such occurrences in the future. He visited the Ruia Hospital to meet the injured devotees.

Following the incident, several ministers rushed to Tirupati to oversee rescue and medical operations. Ministers Anagani Satyaprasad, Vangalapudi Anita, and Satyakumar Yadav were among those who promptly arrived in Tirupati to monitor the situation.

Response from BJP Leader Purandeswari:

BJP Andhra Pradesh President Daggubati Purandeswari expressed shock and sorrow over the stampede and the loss of lives. She demanded a high-level inquiry into the incident and strict action against those responsible for the negligence. Meanwhile, TTD officials have started reviewing CCTV footage to determine the exact cause of the incident.