Chaos erupted in Tirupati late Wednesday evening as a stampede at a ticket distribution center left six devotees dead and over 40 injured. The incident occurred just two days before the Vaikuntha Ekadasi festival at the renowned Lord Venkateswara Swamy temple on Andhra Pradesh’s Tirumala Hills.

Thousands of devotees had gathered at multiple counters set up by the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) to distribute free “sarva darshan” tokens for the festival. Despite arrangements for 1,20,000 tokens across 94 counters at locations like Vishnu Nivasam, Srinivasam, Bhudevi complexes, and other sites in Tirupati, the situation spiraled out of control.

The token distribution, scheduled to begin at 5 a.m. Thursday, saw massive crowds arriving the night before. At the MGM High School counter in Bairagipatteda, near the Vishnu Nivasam temple, an estimated 4,000-5,000 people thronged the area, leading to jostling and overcrowding by evening.

BR Naidu, chairman of TTD, explained that the chaos began when a gate was opened to help an unwell woman. “As soon as the gate was opened, the crowd surged forward all at once, resulting in a stampede,” he said.

The stampede exposed significant lapses in crowd control measures, with Tirupati Municipal Commissioner N Moruya admitting that managing the crowds had become increasingly difficult. Tirupati Collector S Venkateswar confirmed that it took 15 minutes to evacuate the area and restore order.

The Vaikuntha Ekadasi festival, a significant annual event, allows devotees to offer prayers to Lord Venkateswara through the temple’s northern entrance. Despite the religious significance, the incident has cast a shadow over the preparations and safety measures undertaken by authorities.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences, stating, “My thoughts are with those who lost their loved ones in this tragic incident.” Rahul Gandhi, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, urged Congress workers to extend all possible assistance to the affected.

Former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu also expressed his grief, saying, “The tragic death of devotees in Tirupati has deeply disturbed me. This incident, during such an auspicious time, is heartbreaking.”

The mishap has raised concerns over the adequacy of crowd management protocols for large-scale religious events. Authorities have pledged to review and strengthen safety measures to prevent similar tragedies in the future.

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has raised questions about the relevance of the INDIA alliance, calling for its dissolution if it was formed solely for last year’s parliamentary elections. Speaking on the ongoing Delhi Assembly polls, the National Conference leader criticized the lack of clarity on the alliance’s leadership and agenda.

Abdullah’s remarks come as the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Congress, and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) engage in a three-way contest in the national capital. The AAP and Congress, who had previously allied during the Lok Sabha elections, have since turned into bitter rivals, with leaders from both sides trading accusations.

Addressing reporters, Abdullah said, “I cannot say anything about this because we have nothing to do with Delhi elections. AAP, Congress, and the other parties on the ground must decide how to combat the BJP. As far as I remember, there was no time limit to the INDIA alliance. Unfortunately, no INDIA alliance meeting is being organized, so there is no clarity about leadership, agenda, or our existence. They should wind up the alliance in case it was just for the Parliament elections.”

His comments reflect growing unease within the Opposition bloc, which had united under the INDIA banner to counter the BJP’s dominance. However, internal divisions have surfaced, particularly after Congress suffered setbacks in recent elections.

The Delhi campaign has highlighted tensions between AAP and Congress, with Congress leaders accusing AAP of corruption and mismanagement, while AAP has alleged that Congress is secretly cooperating with the BJP.

In light of these developments, Abdullah emphasized the need for Congress to reflect on its leadership role in the alliance. “By virtue of being the single largest party in Parliament and having a pan-India presence, Congress is the natural leader of the Opposition movement,” Abdullah said. “But some allies feel the Congress is not doing enough to justify or maintain that leadership.”

The question of who should lead the INDIA alliance has gained momentum, with Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee expressing willingness to take the mantle if given an opportunity. Several alliance partners have voiced support for Banerjee’s leadership, adding to the uncertainty surrounding the bloc’s future.

As the INDIA alliance faces internal challenges, Abdullah’s remarks highlight the pressing need for clarity and cohesion among its members, particularly as they navigate critical electoral battles.

Andhra Pradesh is emerging as a significant hub for IT and technology, driven by its spirit of innovation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Wednesday. He added that “this is the moment for Andhra to establish itself as a center for new, futuristic technologies”.

Speaking at a public meeting in Andhra Pradesh’s Visakhapatnam, PM Modi emphasized, “We must take the initiative in emerging technologies, such as green hydrogen, which is poised to be a vital sector of the future.”

During his visit, the Prime Minister led an extensive roadshow in Visakhapatnam, where he inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for projects valued at ₹2 lakh crore.

Accompanied by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, PM Modi paraded from the Sampath Vinayak Temple to the engineering college grounds at Andhra University. Large crowds gathered to greet them, showering the leaders with flowers and waving in response as they traveled in an open vehicle.

Among the projects inaugurated, PM Modi laid the foundation for a railway zone and NTPC’s integrated green hydrogen hub in Pudimadaka, located in the Anakapalli district. He also dedicated several road and rail projects to the nation.

“Our Andhra Pradesh is a land of possibilities and opportunities. It is only when these opportunities are realized that Andhra will thrive, and India will achieve its aspiration of becoming a developed nation. Therefore, Andhra’s progress is our vision, and we are committed to serving the people of the state,” stated PM Modi.

Commending the Telugu Desam Party-led government, the Prime Minister noted, “Andhra Pradesh aims to become a 2.5-trillion-dollar economy by 2047, a vision spearheaded by Chandrababu Naidu’s ‘Swarna Andhra @ 2047’ initiative, with the NDA-led central government supporting the state government every step of the way.”

He added, “Now is the time for Andhra to become a hub of new technologies.”

PM Modi announced that Visakhapatnam would host one of the few large-scale green hydrogen production facilities globally, which is expected to generate numerous job opportunities and foster a robust manufacturing ecosystem in the state.

He mentioned the foundation stone laydown for the Bulk Drug Park in Nakkapalli, highlighting that Andhra Pradesh is one of just three states in the country where such parks are being established.

“Our government sees urbanization as an opportunity, and we aspire to make Andhra Pradesh a model for new-age urbanization. Today, we have also laid the foundation for the Krishnapatnam Industrial Area to help realize this vision,” PM Modi added.