Tirupati Temple Stampede: Families Mourn Loss Of Loved Ones; Demands Justice

At least 6 persons lost their lives and several others sustained injuries after a stampede broke out at the Tirupati Temple on January 08. The incident occurred near Vishnu Niwasam close to Tirumala Srivari Vaikuntha Dwara ticketing counter, during the distribution of 'darshan' tokens. The stampede was caused due to "overcrowding", said the Chairman of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD). The family of the deceased mourned over the incident and expressed their grief. Since January 08, devotees from several parts of the country were arriving in large numbers to collect tokens but, by the end of the day, a heavy crowd was observed at all the centres, leading to congestion in those areas.