TTD arranges special Vaikunta Dwara Darshan for stampede victims
10 Jan 2025 9:54 PM IST
Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) organised a special Vaikunta Dwara Darshan of Lord Venkateswara for the 32 devotees injured in the Tirupati stampede during the early hours on Friday. (Image: DC)
Tirupati: As directed by Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) organised a special Vaikunta Dwara Darshan of Lord Venkateswara for the 32 devotees injured in the Tirupati stampede during the early hours on Friday. The recovering devotees were accompanied by their family members
The devotees and their families thanked the Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister K. Pawan Kalyan and TTD officials for extending support to them during their difficult time.
The district administration made special arrangements to transport the devotees and their families and provide them annaprasadam.
District collector Dr. S. Venkateswar and municipal commissioner N. Maurya personally oversaw the logistics involving the discharge of patients from SVIMS hospital, their visit to the temple, and return to their respective homes.
The collector, however, clarified that five of the injured remain under treatment and are expected to recover soon.
Recounting the incident, a victim explained that the stampede got triggered by an overwhelming rush when police opened the gates for token distribution.
"There was no prior announcement before the gates were opened. When people saw the gates opening, crowds that had gathered outside began rushing towards the gate. This led to the pushing and jostling, which subsequently intensified," the devotee disclosed.
She said out of the 20 members of her family, six had been injured. Many families like hers got caught in the chaos in the wake crowds rushing forward uncontrollably, leading to injuries.
Another woman recounted the harrowing moments when the chaos escalated. "When we fell, men around us surged forward in the rush, stepping over us and pushing us further down", she said. "It was a terrifying experience,” she stated.
Despite the ordeal, she expressed her gratitude to the Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister and TTD officials for the Vaikunta Dwara Darshan.
( Source : Deccan Chronicle )
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