Vijayawada: Calling the tragic stampede in Tirupati as an “unforeseen accident caused by an overwhelming crowd”, home minister Vangalapudi Anitha said the irony was that it occurred while “attempting to save an unwell devotee”. Anitha, who visited the grieving families at Ruia hospital on Thursday, said measures would be taken to prevent such occurrences in future.
“We will stand by the victims’ families in every possible way. The govt has announced an ex gratia of Rs 25 lakh to the families of each deceased. We have ordered an investigation to determine if there was any negligence or if a conspiracy played a role in the tragedy. Strict action will be taken if any lapses are found,” she asserted.
Offering solace to the bereaved families, she highlighted the importance of improving queue management and ensuring the safety of devotees during such events. She also urged opposition parties not to politicise the sensitive issue and instead cooperate in providing support to the bereaved families. “It is deeply distressing that devotees lost their lives just before the auspicious Vaikuntha Dwara darshan. Let us focus on ensuring that such incidents do not recur,” she said.
