Tirupati, January 9: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has on Thursday announced that a judicial inquiry would be conducted into the tragic stampede at the Tirupati temple, which claimed the lives of six people and left dozens injured.
The Chief Minister also ordered the transfer of three senior officials, including the district’s Superintendent of Police (SP), in response to the incident.
Naidu said that two officials, including a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), had been suspended for their failure to properly manage the situation. He acknowledged serious flaws in the administration and monitoring mechanisms at Tirupati, which, he said, should have been more efficient.
Expressing his deep sorrow over the tragedy, Naidu announced an ex gratia payment of Rs 25 lakh each to the families of the deceased and Rs 2 lakh to the injured.
The stampede had occurred on the night of January 8 in Tirupati, where hundreds of devotees had gathered to secure tickets for the Vaikunta Dwara Darshanam, a religious event at the Lord Venkateswara Swamy temple. The event, which attracts thousands of visitors, marks the beginning of the 10-day Vaikunta Dwara Darshanam starting January 10. In total, six people died, and nearly 40 others were injured as the crowd surged while trying to get tickets.
Earlier in the day, Naidu also visited the hospital where the injured were being treated to offer his condolences and support.
