Tirupati Stampede: Video Shows Massive Crowd During Vaikuntha Ekadashi Token Distribution

Tragedy struck the sacred town of Tirupati as a stampede during the distribution of tokens for Vaikuntha Ekadashi darshan claimed the lives of six devotees, including a woman from Salem, Tamil Nadu. The incident left several others injured and has sparked widespread concern over the management of large religious gatherings. The four devotees died while undergoing treatment at Ruia Hospital, Tirupati. The injured were initially taken to Ruia Hospital, but due to insufficient care, they were later moved to SIMS by their relatives.

Chaos at Token Distribution Centers

Videos of the incident, showing police performing CPR on a few women devotees and injured individuals being transported in ambulances, quickly went viral on social media.

"My wife and others were attempting to obtain Vaikunta Dwara Darshan tickets when a stampede broke out, leading to her death. I've informed our relatives, and they are on their way..." said the husband of one of the victims, Mallika, in a statement to ANI.

The stampede occurred across multiple token distribution centers set up to facilitate darshan during Vaikuntha Ekadashi, a festival that draws thousands of devotees to the holy city. Videos from the centers showed chaotic scenes, with crowds pushing and jostling to obtain the highly coveted tokens. The overwhelming turnout created immense pressure on the system, exposing gaps in crowd management.

The scuffle broke out at several locations, including Vishnu Nivasam and Bairagi Patteda Ramanaidu School, as devotees rushed to secure tokens. The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) had announced the issuance of 1.20 lakh Sarva Darshan tickets over three days, with 40,000 tokens available daily. To manage this, TTD set up 94 counters across nine centers, but the arrangements fell short of ensuring safety and order.

Protests and Frustration Among Devotees

Police restricted access to the queue lines, citing the early arrival of devotees before the scheduled ticket distribution. This led to protests, with devotees sitting on roads and chanting religious hymns in frustration. Many had gathered at the centers well before the scheduled time, hoping to secure tokens, only to face delays and confusion.

In an effort to manage the crowds, staff directed devotees to wait in Padmavati Park instead of gathering on roads. Entry into queue lines began from the park, but the lack of proper security arrangements led to scuffles. Temporary sheds were erected at Vishnu Nivasam and Bhudevi Complex to shelter waiting devotees, but these measures were insufficient to control the swelling crowds.

TTD's Token Distribution Plan

The TTD had planned to distribute tokens from 5 a.m. on Thursday, attracting devotees from Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, and the Telugu states, as well as local residents. Many devotees began arriving the previous evening, adding to the chaos.

The 1.20 lakh tokens are being distributed at nine centers, including Srinivasam, Vishnu Nivasam, Ramachandra Pushkarani, Alipiri Bhudevi Complex, Emaar Pally ZP High School, Bairagi Patteda Ramanaidu High School, Satyanarayana Puram ZP High School, and Indira Maidan.