Officials blamed for Tirupati stampede that killed 6
During the Vaikunta Ekadashi festival in Tirupati on January 8, a sudden crowd surge at Padmavati Park led to a deadly stampede—six people lost their lives and over 50 were injured.
The chaos started when two officials, Dr. Harinatha Reddy and DSP AV Ramana Kumar, ordered a gate opened, leading to a misunderstanding among the crowd who mistakenly thought entry counters had reopened.
What the commission's report said
A judicial commission has held Reddy and Kumar responsible for poor crowd management that directly caused the tragedy. Delays in medical response made things worse.
The government now plans disciplinary action against both officials.
To prevent future incidents, the commission recommended better infrastructure, improved staff training, changes in VIP policies, and more public awareness about safety during big events.