Tirupati stampede: India temple apologises after six killed in crush

One of India's wealthiest temples has publicly apologized after a crush incident resulted in the deaths of six people and injuries to dozens more. The incident occurred as people were queuing to collect tickets for an annual festival that attracts hundreds of thousands of people. The tragedy unfolded on Wednesday evening, when thousands gathered in the temple town of Tirupati in southern Andhra Pradesh.

Footage from the scene showed crowds pushing and shoving as ticket counters set up by the temple administration began distributing tickets. State officials have said that strict action will be taken against temple staff found to be responsible for the tragedy. The temple trust chairman, B. Karunakar Reddy, said the crush was due to "overcrowding." "It is an unfortunate incident," he told local media on Wednesday.

Trust board member, Bhanu Prakash Reddy, apologized for the incident. "We opened 91 counters to distribute tokens... unfortunately, a stampede happened," he said. "This has never happened in the history of the temple. I sincerely apologize to the devotees." Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu expressed grief over the incident and is scheduled to visit the site later on Thursday.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was "distressed" by the incident and assured those affected that the state government would provide them with "all possible assistance." The Tirupati temple, one of the most sacred Hindu shrines, is dedicated to the Hindu deity Sri Venkateswara, popularly known as Balaji. The temple, which has assets worth billions of dollars, is one of the richest in India. It attracts nearly 24 million devotees from India and abroad every year.

The 10-day Vaikuntha Dwara Darshan is considered a very auspicious event by devotees, who believe they can get a glimpse of the divine gates of heaven. Hundreds of thousands of people attend the festival every year, and the temple said it was prepared to host 700,000 people this time. On Wednesday, thousands gathered at over 90 counters set up by the temple to collect tickets for the festival which begins on January 10. According to witnesses, people rushed towards the counters as the doors opened, leading to the chaos, adding that there were only four police officers present.

Multiple reports suggest that police had difficulty managing the crowds. Authorities have said that those injured in the crush have been taken to government-run hospitals for treatment. Accidents at religious events are common in India as large crowds gather in confined spaces with little adherence to safety measures. Last year, more than 120 people were killed in a stampede at a religious gathering in Uttar Pradesh.