Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Thursday said the State Government suspended two officials including a Deputy Superintendent of Police and transferred three senior officials in connection with the stampede in Tirupati.
Speaking to newspersons after visiting the victims who are being treated in Tirupati today, Naidu said DSP Ramana Kumar, Gosala Director Haranath Reddy were suspended.
The superintendent of police Subbarayudu, JEO Gautami and CSO Sridhar have been transferred with immediate effect.
Naidu has visited the spot of the mishap on Thursday and expressed his displeasure with the officials including the Executive Officer, Joint EO, District Collector and the Superintendent of Police for not making adequate arrangements to ensure safety of the pilgrims as huge rush was generally expected.
The State government had also announced as ex-gratia of ₹25 lakh each to the families of those who lost their lives in the incident.
While five pilgrims, including four women, lost their lives in a stampede on Wednesday evening, another woman died after losing consciousness, according to officials. Treatment is being given to 25 devotees who sustained injuries.
The sudden opening of gates to shift a sick woman pilgrim to a hospital led to the stampede, according to BR Naidu, Chairman of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD).
Police personnel and people gather after a stampede broke out as hundreds of devotees jostled for tickets for Vaikunta Dwara Darshanam at Lord Venkateswara Swamy temple on Tirumala Hills, in Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025.
| Photo Credit: PTI
The stampede occurred at the queue line for the token issue for the darshan of Vaikunta Dwaram.
When a deputy superintendent of police opened the gates to shift the woman for medical care, the pilgrims rushed forward which led to the stampede, the TTD Chairman said.
Attributing the mishap to the `callous attitude of the officials, ’ TTD Chairman said measures were being taken to ensure the safety of the pilgrims in the future.
A stampede-like situation occurred at Vishnu Nivasam during the distribution of Tirumala Srivari Vaikuntha Dwara Darshan tokens, in Tirupati on Wednesday. Reportedly, four devotees died in the incident.
| Photo Credit: ANI
Meanwhile, in a teleconference with the higher officials, Chief Minister Naidu expressed his anger over the lack of proper arrangements even though a huge rush of pilgrims was expected to obtain tokens.
In a statement, Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy expressed his shock over the tragic incident.
Devotees who have arrived for having darshan on the Vaikunta Ekadasi day resort to pushing and jostling at the Ramachandra Pushkarini token issue counter in Tirupati on Wednesday.
| Photo Credit: K V Poornachandra Kumar
‘Fault with officials’
The Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, while expressing `shock and deep distress’ over stampede, found fault with the officials for allowing a large number of devotees to the queue which had aggravated the situation. He directed the officials to ensure adequate and `safe’ measures to handle the rush of pilgrims during upcoming Vaikunta Ekadasi.
Expressed grief
Union Ministers Bandi Sanjay Kumar and Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu also expressed their grief over the demise of the individuals who lost their lives in a tragic stampede.