At least six people lost their lives, and several others were injured in a stampede near Tirupati's Vishnu Nivasam on Wednesday during the distribution of Vaikunta Dwara Sarva Darshan tokens. The tragedy unfolded as hundreds of devotees crowded to secure tickets for the 10-day Vaikunta Dwara Darshanam, scheduled to commence on January 10.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu expressed deep sorrow over the incident, offering his condolences to the victims' families. In a statement released by the Chief Minister's Office, he described the deaths as a shocking and unfortunate loss.

Visuals from the site captured chaotic scenes of a massive crowd struggling for space, with police officers attempting to control the overcrowding at Vishnu Nivasam. The overwhelming turnout led to severe congestion, complicating efforts to maintain order.

The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) officials stated that arrangements had been made to distribute 1.20 lakh tokens starting Thursday morning at 5:30 a.m. across 94 counters. These counters were set up at key locations, including Vishnu Nivasam, Srinivasam, and Bhudevi Complexes, along with additional distribution points at Satyanarayanapuram, Bairagipatteda, and Ramanaidu School.

However, despite the planned schedule, pilgrims began gathering at the lodges from Wednesday itself, leading to overcrowding and an eventual stampede. The authorities are now facing questions over crowd management and the adequacy of measures taken to prevent such a tragic event.

Disclaimer:This image is taken from Reuters.