Tirupati: Survivors of the horrific Tirupati stampede that killed six people in Tirupati have described the ordeal, citing everything from lengthy lines to obtain Vaikunta Dwara Darshanam tickets to the gates opening unexpectedly, which caused the crowd to rush forward.
We believed we were all dead for five minutes. It has never happened this way in my 25 years of visiting the shrine,” D Venkata Lakshmi told a local TV outlet.
According to her, six boys dragged her away and offered her some water.
individuals hurried forward, and Lakshmi claims that up to ten individuals fell where she was standing.
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“Despite my cries that I was falling on the side, people were still running from behind and were uncontrollable.” Whether they were pushing forward or not, the men were out of control. The believers were being trampled underfoot. “For a long time, I was unable to even breathe,” she stated.
She also emphasized that people were unable to make sense of what was occurring and stated that this catastrophe could have been avoided if the police had permitted devotees to move forward in an orderly manner.
To further demonstrate that in Tirupati TTD values VIPs significantly more than regular people, some groups are disseminating fake and out-of-context recordings. Once more, this is a biased story about the revered Tirumala, and it happened at a delicate time when people were hurt and lives were lost.
In essence, BR Naidu, the recently appointed chairman of the TTD board, adopted a generally public-friendly stance from the moment he assumed office. To help the regular pilgrims who had gathered in large numbers to receive the Vaikunta Darshan, he actually accepted the appeal to close the VIP break Darshan program for the following ten days.
Another devotee said that the gate was opened around 7 p.m. on Wednesday, when she arrived at around 11 a.m. A devotee was warned not to hurry and form a queue, but no one paid attention. “The police weren’t inside,” she claimed.
A male devotee asked that the presence of 5,000 devotees be reported to the authorities. According to him, the stampede started when police abruptly opened the gates.
Hundreds of pilgrims fought for tickets to the Vaikunta Dwara Darshanam at Lord Venkateswara Swamy temple on the Tirumala Hills on Wednesday night, resulting in a stampede at Bairagi Patteda near MGM School in Tirupati that left six people dead and almost 40 injured.
Beginning on January 10, hundreds of devotees from all across the nation gathered for the 10-day Vaikunta Dwara Darshanam.
The issue of stampedes at Tirupati continues to be a concern due to the sheer volume of pilgrims visiting the temple. While the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) has implemented some improvements, including online ticketing systems, better queue management, and increased security, the issue of overcrowding remains a risk, particularly during peak pilgrimage seasons.
Authorities continue to monitor and manage the situation, but incidents like stampedes, particularly resulting in deaths of women, are tragic reminders of the challenges of managing large crowds at such a major religious site.
Why People visit Tirupati in January?
People visit Tirupati in January primarily because of the religious festivals like Vaikunta Ekadasi and Makara Sankranti, which hold immense significance for devotees, as well as the pleasant weather, which makes the pilgrimage more comfortable. The month also coincides with the New Year, a time when many devote themselves to fulfilling vows, seeking blessings, and beginning the year with spiritual renewal. The special darshan opportunities and prasadam offerings further attract pilgrims during this time, making it a peak month for visitors to Tirupati and Tirumala.