Tirupati, January 9, 2025: A tragedy struck at the revered Tirupati temple as a stampede in a queue for event tokens claimed six lives and left 30 others injured. The incident occurred early this morning as devotees gathered in large numbers to secure tokens for a special religious event.

Eyewitnesses reported that the situation spiraled out of control when a surge in the crowd caused people to fall, triggering a panic-driven stampede. Many devotees had been waiting in the queue for hours, leading to frustration and chaos as the crowd swelled beyond the capacity of the designated area.

Local authorities and temple management quickly deployed rescue teams to the scene. Injured individuals were rushed to nearby hospitals, where some remain in critical condition. Officials have expressed deep sorrow over the incident and assured immediate assistance to the affected families.

“We are deeply saddened by this unfortunate event. Steps will be taken to provide compensation to the families of the deceased and ensure proper medical care for the injured,” said a spokesperson for the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) board.

Preliminary investigations suggest that a lack of adequate crowd management measures contributed to the disaster. Devotees have called for stricter regulations and better planning to avoid such incidents in the future. “The authorities need to ensure proper crowd control mechanisms during major events to safeguard the safety of pilgrims,” said a devotee who narrowly escaped the stampede.

The Tirupati temple, one of the holiest pilgrimage sites in India, attracts millions of devotees annually. However, this tragic event underscores the pressing need for enhanced safety protocols to ensure the well-being of visitors.