Tirupati stampede: CM Chandrababu Naidu announces judicial inquiry
Andhra Pradesh CM Chandrababu Naidu announces Rs 25 lakh ex-gratia for kin of deceased, orders judicial inquiry.
Chandrababu Naidu expressed grief over the Tirupati stampede incident and declared an ex gratia payment of Rs 25 lakh to the families of the deceased and Rs 2 lakh for the injured.
He also said a judicial inquiry would be conducted into the stampede that resulted in six deaths and dozens of injuries. Additionally, three senior officials, including the district Superintendent of Police, would be transferred, the CM added.
In a press conference on January 9, Naidu said that two officials, including a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), had been suspended due to their negligence. He acknowledged weaknesses in the administration and monitoring systems in Tirupati, noting that these processes should have been flawless.
“I’m not blaming anyone. I’ve been in politics for the last 45 years. Security was deployed but more precautions should have been taken. The officials who were deployed failed. If they had released them half an hour or one hour prior, this wouldn’t have happened. Better coordination is required,” CM Naidu said, as per a ANI report.
Naidu also explained that the previous government had introduced a new token issuance system in Tirupati, replacing the earlier one used in the Tirumala hills.
The stampede occurred on January 9 night at Bairagi Patteda near MGM School in Tirupati, where six devotees lost their lives and nearly 40 others were injured. The incident took place as hundreds of devotees scrambled for tickets to the Vaikunta Dwara Darshanam at the Lord Venkateswara Swamy temple.
Devotees from across the country had gathered in large numbers for the 10-day Vaikunta Dwara Darshanam, which begins on January 10.