TIRUPATI: Former TTD chairman Bhumana Karunakar Reddy demanded that Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu take moral responsibility for the stampede in Tirupati, which claimed six lives, and take stringent action against the officials for the lapses in crowd management.
Speaking to the media on Thursday, Bhumana said the Additional Executive Officer, SP and TTD Vigilance Wing should be held accountable for the stampede.
He urged the government to suspend the errant officials and pay Rs 1 crore compensation to the families of the deceased, and Rs 20 lakh to those injured in the incident.
Bhumana said the stampede occurred due to administrative inefficiency, which he claimed prioritised serving Naidu over Lord Venkateswara. He also linked the incident to similar mismanagement during the Godavari Pushkarams, where 30 people were killed.
Bhumana accused Naidu of focusing on publicity and self-boasting, rather than ensuring the safety of devotees.The former TTD chairman noted that the stampede occurred when the gates were suddenly opened, leading to a rush of devotees, which he said highlighted the inefficiency of the officials, mirroring past incidents.