Tirupati Stampede Incident: District Collector Submits Report to CM Chandrababu

A tragic stampede at the Vaikuntha Dwara token counters in Tirumala last night resulted in the death of six devotees and left over 40 others injured. Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has expressed deep concern over the incident and is expected to arrive in Tirupati shortly. He is scheduled to meet the victims and their families and announce compensation for those affected.

In connection with the incident, the district collector has submitted a detailed report to CM Chandrababu. According to the report, the stampede was triggered by the over-enthusiasm of the Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), which led to a sudden influx of devotees. The report further noted that despite the chaos, the DSP failed to respond appropriately, while the Superintendent of Police (SP) immediately arrived with personnel to assist the devotees.

The collector's report highlighted a critical lapse involving the ambulance service. An ambulance stationed outside the ticket counter was left unmanned as the driver was unavailable for 20 minutes, delaying immediate medical assistance. The report attributed the deaths and injuries to the negligence of both the DSP and the ambulance driver. The collector compiled this report after gathering information from SP Subbarayudu and other officials.