The Andhra Pradesh government, in the wake of this heart-wrenching stampede in Tirumala that killed six devotees at the Vaikuntha Dwara, responded with alacrity in order to address the lapses leading to this tragedy. Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu cracked a disciplinary whip against those top officials responsible for crowd mismanagement leading to this devastating incident.
The government has suspended two officials: DSP Ramana Kumar and Gosala Director Harinadha Reddy. DSP Ramana Kumar’s decision to release all devotees simultaneously is being regarded as the primary factor that triggered the stampede, underscoring his failure in effectively managing the crowd. Meanwhile, Gosala Director Harinadha Reddy was also suspended for his apparent negligence and lack of responsiveness during the crisis.
In addition to these suspensions, three other officials have been transferred as part of the government’s response to the situation. Tirupati district SP Subbarayudu was transferred for his inability to maintain order and ensure proper security as the crowd swelled. TTD JEO Gautami, who was responsible for overseeing the situation and making necessary adjustments, was also transferred after failing to act quickly and appropriately. Similarly, Chief Security Officer Sridhar has been transferred for not relaying crucial crowd management information to the police.
Despite the extensive plans made by TTD for distributing darshan tokens in both Tirumala and Tirupati, the crowd far exceeded expectations. The situation grew chaotic as devotees began gathering in large numbers early on Wednesday morning. When TTD announced that token distribution would begin on Thursday, the situation at the Bairagipatteda counter became uncontrollable, leading to the tragic incident.
This unfortunate event has sparked widespread criticism of both the police and TTD officials for their inability to manage the situation. A preliminary investigation into the incident has led the Andhra Pradesh government to hold five officials accountable for their failures in crowd control, ensuring that necessary disciplinary actions are now being implemented
