Tirupati: A day after the tragic incident, the Tirupati East Police have registered two separate FIRs following the deaths of multiple devotees during the Vaikunta Ekadasi celebrations in the temple town. The incidents were reported on January 8 at different locations in the city, highlighting the challenges posed by overcrowding during the annual religious festival.
The first case involved R. Malliga, 50, a resident of Tamil Nadu's Mettur Salem district, who collapsed in a queue for darshan tokens at Vishnunivasam. A complaint was filed by P. Srinivasulu, a Tahsildar from Balaiahpalli Mandal, stating that Malliga fainted amidst a rush of devotees. The FIR mentioned, "When other devotees rushed towards queue line in that time due her ill health she fell on the ground."
The second FIR, lodged by M. Jayaramulu, 61, a Tahsildar from Narayanavanam Mandal, reported the deaths of five more devotees. The victims included Smt. Kandipilli Santhi (35) from Visakhapatnam, Guddla Rajini (45), Boddeti Naidu Babu (55), Suri Setty Lavanya Swathi (37), and Nirmala from Tamil Nadu.
According to the complaint, the victims were waiting for darshan tokens at Padmavathi Park near Ramanaidu School when a sudden surge in the queue caused them to fall. They were rushed to SVRRGG Hospital, where medical authorities pronounced them dead.
In the meantime, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu called a review meeting on Thursday after six people were killed in the Tirupati stampede incident a day earlier, a Telugu Desam Party (TDP) spokesperson said. CM Chandrababu Naidu is also due to meet the families of the deceased later in the day.
TDP National Spokesperson Prem kumar Jain stressed that the state government is taking steps to prevent Tirupati stampede-like incidents.
Speaking to ANI, Kumar told ANI, "The unfortunate incident in the Tirumala Tirupati Temple claimed the lives of 6 devotees and injured around 40. I pray to god to give peace to the departed souls. Measures are being taken to ensure such incidents do not happen again. CM Chandrababu Naidu has also called a review meeting. He will also visit the temple in a short while and take cognisance of the situation..."
(With inputs from ANI)
