One of India’s richest temples has apologized after a crush there killed six people and injured dozens.
The stampede took place on Wednesday evening after thousands of people gathered at the Tirupati temple in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh to buy tickets for a special festival.
The visuals showed crowds of people jostling as tickets were distributed at counters set up by the temple authorities.
State officials said strict action would be taken against temple employees found responsible for the tragedy.
BR Naidu, chairman of the temple trust, said the crush was caused by “overcrowding”.
“It’s an unfortunate incident,” he told local media on Wednesday.
Bhanu Prakash Reddy, a board member of the trust, apologized for the incident.
“To distribute tokens, we opened 91 counters… it’s a shame there was a stampede,” he said. “This has never happened in the history of the temple. I sincerely apologize to the devotees.”
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu expressed sadness over the incident: he is scheduled to visit the temple later on Thursday.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was “pained” by the incident and assured those affected that the state government would extend “all possible assistance” to them.
The Tirupati Temple in Andhra Pradesh is one of the holiest shrines in Hinduism. Dedicated to the Hindu god Sri Venkateswara – better known as Balaji – the temple has assets worth tens of billions of dollars and is one of the richest in India.
It attracts nearly 24 million Indian and foreign devotees each year.
His 10-day Vaikuntha Dwara Darshan is considered a very auspicious event by devotees as they believe they can get a glimpse of the divine gates of heaven.
Millions of people attend the festival each year, with attendance reaching two to three million on some days.
On Wednesday, thousands of people gathered to receive tickets for the festival – which begins on January 10 – from more than 90 counters set up by the temple.
As the doors of the counters opened, thousands of people rushed towards the counters, causing chaos, an eyewitness told the Times of India newspaper, adding that there were only four policemen there.
Several reports indicate that police had difficulty managing the crowds.
Authorities say those injured in the crush were rushed to a public hospital for treatment.
In India, accidents are regularly reported during religious events, as huge crowds gather in tight spaces and pay little attention to safety measures.
Last year, more than 120 people were crushed to death during a religious event in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh.
