Tirupati stampede: CM Chandrababu Naidu says 'officials failed', orders probe; DSP suspended

Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Thursday announced the suspension of two officials in connection with the stampede in Tirupati that left six people dead.

“Judicial inquiry will be ordered into the incident to submit a detailed report. Two officials - Goshala director Arunadh Reddy and one police personnel have been suspended. SP, AEO Gautami and one more person are being transferred,” ANI quoted Naidu as saying at a press conference.

According to a PTI report, Naidu said he has ordered the suspension of two officials, including a DSP, for their dereliction.

The stampede occurred at Bairagi Patteda near MGM School in Tirupati on Wednesday night as hundreds of people jostled for tickets for Vaikunta Dwara Darshanam at Lord Venkateswara Swamy temple on Tirumala Hills.

Naidu met the injured victims undergoing treatment at a hospital in Tirupati and took stock of their condition.

Tirupati temple stampede LIVE coverage

The chief minister announced that Tirupati superintendent of police (SP), joint executive officer of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) and another official have been transferred. He also said that a judicial inquiry will also be ordered into the incident.

ALSO READ: Tirupati stampede survivors recall horror: 'For 5 mins, we thought all of us were dead'

The chief minister said he was “pained” by the incident. He announced ₹25 lakh compensation to kin of deceased. He added that the 33 injured victims will be given a financial aid of ₹2 lakh.

“I’m not blaming anyone. I’ve been in politics for the last 45 years. Security was deployed but more precautions should have been taken. The officials who were deployed failed. If they had released them half an hour or one hour prior, this wouldn’t have happened. Better coordination is required,” the CM said.

ALSO READ: 'When police opened the gates…': Eyewitness recounts Tirupati stampede horror

Andhra Pradesh CM visited stampede site

Earlier in the day, Naidu visited the site of the stampede in Tirupati. According to a PTI report, he along with several ministers, TTD officials and others, inspected the makeshift arrangements made to handle the multitudes of crowds arriving for the pilgrimage.

ALSO READ: Moments leading up to Tirupati stampede that claimed 6 lives; TTD apologises

At the stampede site, Naidu demanded answers from TTD joint executive officer (health & education) M Gowthami over the incident.

Opposition parties slammed the Chandrababu Naidu government over the incident. Former TTD chairman Bhuma Karunakar Reddy slammed the government over the tragic stampede incident at Vishnu Nivasam in Tirupati, attributing it to "administrative failure".

(With PTI inputs)