Pawan Kalyan Apologizes for Tirupati Stampede, Calls for Accountability

Social Issues Social Inequalities and exclusion

Posted by NewAdmin on 2025-01-30 04:56:50 |

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A tragic stampede at the Vaikuntha Dwara Darshan ticketing center in Tirupati has claimed six lives and left several others injured. Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan has publicly apologized for the incident and assured that his government takes full responsibility.

"We are not running away from accountability. This is our responsibility, and I assure you that appropriate action will be taken against those responsible," Kalyan stated while addressing the media. His remarks came amid sharp criticism directed at the Andhra Pradesh government, led by Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, and the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), the trust that manages the temple’s affairs.

Eyewitnesses described the chaos that unfolded on Wednesday evening near Vishnu Nivasam, close to the Srivari Vaikuntha Dwara ticket counter. Thousands of devotees had gathered in hopes of securing tokens for the special Vaikunta Ekadasi darshan when police officials opened the gates. The sudden surge of people led to panic, causing several devotees to trip and fall. Many were severely injured in the stampede, and those in critical condition were rushed to nearby hospitals.

A complaint filed by Narayanavanam Mandal Tahsildar M. Jayaramulu at the Tirupati East police station detailed how the victims had been waiting in line at Sri Padmavathi Park when the overwhelming rush led to the tragic incident. Initially, one of the two FIRs filed sought to blame the crowd, citing Section 194 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, which defines "affray" as disturbing public peace through fights in public places. However, public outcry has demanded that officials and organizers be held accountable rather than shifting blame onto devotees.

Eyewitness accounts highlighted the lack of an efficient token distribution system. One woman, who had been waiting in line with her family since the morning, described how the sudden rush of male devotees resulted in injuries, particularly among women. "Out of twenty members of my family, six were injured. We had been in line since 11 AM and were given milk and biscuits while waiting. But when the gates opened, the uncontrolled rush caused panic and injuries," she recounted.

Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu visited the injured victims and conducted a review of the management and security at TTD token counters. Expressing deep sorrow, he ordered officials to ensure proper relief measures and stricter crowd control to prevent future tragedies. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also extended his condolences to the families of the deceased and assured all necessary support.

In response to the disaster, the Andhra Pradesh government announced an ex-gratia of ₹25 lakh each for the families of the six devotees who lost their lives. Authorities have also pledged to implement improved safety measures at major religious gatherings to prevent such incidents in the future.

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