TTD Grants Special Darshan Post-Tirumala Stampede Tragedy

Following a tragic stampede at Tirumala temple during the Vaikunta Ekadasi festival, TTD arranged special darshan for the injured. Andhra Pradesh CM Naidu announced compensation for victims’ families. YSRCP's Reddy criticized the administration for poor planning. The incident claimed six lives and left dozens injured.

Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) organized special Vaikuntha Dwara Darshan on Friday for victims injured in the stampede that took place earlier this week at the Venkateswara Swamy temple. This special arrangement was made on the directives of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu and TTD Chairman, accommodating a total of 52 affected individuals.

The stampede, which occurred on Wednesday amidst the scramble for festival tickets at the temple, tragically resulted in six fatalities. Criticism emerged from Yuvajana Shramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP) leader YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, who argued that the tragedy was avoidable with more systematic administrative measures.

Reddy highlighted the consistent annual crowd for Vaikuntha Ekadasi, questioning the lack of adequate preparation and security. He attributed the disaster to a failure in planning and coordination among TTD, district administration, and police forces. In response to the tragedy, Chief Minister Naidu pledged an ex-gratia of Rs 25 lakh along with employment opportunities for the bereaved families while addressing the need for improved safety measures in the future.

(With inputs from agencies.)