Tirupati stampede: Andhra Pradesh CM visits injured in hospital

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Thursday visited the injured undergoing treatment in a hospital here following a stampede that left six people dead.

Six devotees died and nearly 40 more were injured in the stampede at Bairagi Patteda near MGM School in Tirupati on Wednesday night as hundreds of them jostled for tickets for Vaikunta Dwara Darshanam at Lord Venkateswara Swamy temple on Tirumala Hills.

Hundreds of devotees turned up from across the country for the 10-day Vaikunta Dwara Darshanam commencing from January 10.

"Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu comforted devotees who were injured in yesterday’s (Wednesday) stampede at SVIMS (Sri Venkateswara Institute of Medical Sciences (SVIMS)," said an official statement.

The CM spent 90 minutes in the hospital with the injured devotees. He visited one patient after the others and heard their grievances.

Earlier, Naidu visited the accident site where the stampede claimed six lives and injured many.

Accompanied by several ministers, Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) officials and others, the CM inspected the makeshift arrangements made to handle the multitudes of crowds arriving for the pilgrimage.

At the stampede site, Naidu demanded answers from TTD joint executive officer (health & education) M Gowthami over the incident.