Rs 25 Lakh Ex-Gratia Announced for Vaikunta Ekadasi Stampede Victims

TIRUPATI: The state government has declared an ex-gratia payment of ₹25 lakh to the families of those who lost their lives in the stampede that occurred at the centers distributing tokens for Vaikunta Ekadasi darshan.

Minister for Revenue Anagani Satya Prasad, visited SVIMS Hospital along with his cabinet colleagues—Vangalapudi Anitha (Home), Anam Ramanarayana Reddy (Endowments), Nimmala Rama Naidu (Irrigation), and K. Parthasarathy (I&PR)—to announce the decision on behalf of the state.

The relatives of the deceased and those receiving treatment were seen weeping uncontrollably outside the hospital. The ministers were surrounded by the grieving family members, who shared their harrowing experiences with them.

The Narayanavanam Tahsildar has lodged a complaint with the Tirupati East Police Station regarding the stampede, prompting the registration of a case under Section 194 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Samhita.

A tragic stampede at the Tirupati temple killed four people and injured 150 others ahead of the token distribution for Lord Venkateswara’s darshan in Tirumala.

The allocation of Vaikuntha Dwara Darshan tokens was scheduled to start early Thursday morning, but devotees began gathering at the distribution centers as early as Wednesday evening.

According to initial reports, a stampede-like situation arose at the temple premises, leading to chaos. A woman devotee from Salem, Tamil Nadu, was among those who lost their lives, while four others sustained injuries. All the injured were immediately transported to nearby hospitals for treatment.

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