A tragic stampede at the Tirumala temple in Tirupati left devotees reeling in shock, as chaos erupted during a rush to access a key area of the holy site. Among the survivors, one devotee shared a chilling account of the ordeal, saying, “For five minutes, we thought we were dead.”
The stampede occurred as crowds surged unexpectedly, overwhelming the arrangements in place. The survivor recounted being trapped in the sea of people, unable to move or breathe properly. “There was a moment when everything went blank. The screams, the pushing—it felt like the end,” the survivor said, describing the palpable fear and helplessness among those caught in the chaos.
Rescue efforts were swift, with local authorities and temple officials working tirelessly to bring the situation under control. However, the incident has raised serious questions about crowd management and safety protocols at one of the country’s most visited religious sites.
Many survivors expressed gratitude for the timely intervention of rescue teams but emphasized the need for better planning to prevent such disasters in the future. “This could have been avoided. Lives shouldn’t be put at risk during something as sacred as a pilgrimage,” the survivor added.
The Tirupati temple authorities have since launched an investigation into the incident and pledged to improve crowd management measures. Meanwhile, the harrowing accounts of survivors serve as a stark reminder of the importance of safety in large gatherings.
