TIRUPATI: A day after the stampede in Tirupati claimed six lives and left dozens injured as thousands of devotees gathered at Sri Padmavathi Municipal Park to collect Vaikunta Dwara Darshan tokens, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu inspected the site of the mishap and launched a judicial inquiry.
Furthermore, he announced the suspension of Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Ramana Kumar and Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) Goshala Director Harinath Reddy. Additionally, SP L Subbarayudu, TTD JEO Gauthami, and TTD CVSO (Chief Vigilance and Security Officer) Sri Sridhar were transferred. Orders were issued to this effect on Thursday evening.
In a press conference, Naidu emphasised that further action would be taken against those responsible for the incident, based on the findings of the judicial inquiry.
Asserting that he would take responsibility to safeguard the sanctity of the Srivari temple in Tirumala, the Chief Minister said, “As a devotee, I pray that no such tragedies occur in Tirupati. I visited the site of the incident, went to the hospital, and met the victims to express my condolences. It is crucial to avoid any situation that would harm the purity of the temple.”
“It is not acceptable if intentional or unintentional actions tarnish the holiness of the deity. We should not bring disrepute to the Lord due to our inefficiency,” he added.
The Chief Minister pointed out that he had given clear instructions to the Srivari temple Trust Board to ensure such incidents do not recur in the future.
Don’t you understand how human psychology works? CM to TTD EO
Naidu stressed, “There is no room for politics here. We must move forward with the intention of serving the Lord, transcending political differences, and with the belief that we are offering our service to Lord Venkateswara.”
The CM inspected the arrangements and questioned officials about their failure to manage the crowd. He expressed his displeasure with the delayed emergency response and the slow arrival of ambulances, stressing the need for better planning and coordination for future events.
Naidu inquired about the circumstances leading to the incident and held senior officials accountable, including the TTD Executive Officer (EO), Joint Executive Officer (JEO), District Collector, and the SP.
When TTD EO Syamala Rao explained that the stampede occurred after the gate was opened and that the situation had been brought under control, Naidu questioned the handling of the situation. “Don’t you understand how human psychology works?” he remarked. He criticised the decision to allow 2,500 devotees into an area intended for only 2,000 people and demanded an explanation for permitting overcrowding. The CM questioned whether adequate instructions had been given to the police officer responsible for crowd control. He raised concerns about the poor management of ticket distribution despite the large administrative setup in place and also about the steps taken as the crowd grew and sought clarification on the delay in ambulance response times.
Later, Naidu visited the Sri Venkateswara Institute of Medical Sciences (SVIMS), where he met with the injured devotees and their families. He promised to extend full support to them.