Six people are dead and dozens were left injured after a stampede erupted near a temple in southern India on Wednesday, Jan. 8. Authorities said the chaos stemmed from thousands of devotees who gathered to collect free passes for the temple.
The incident occurred near the 2,000-year-old Lord Venkateswara Swamy temple in Tirupati, a popular site for Hindu worshippers. The stampede occurred days before a 10-day festival in the region, typically attracting large crowds.
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The stampede left 35 people hospitalized, including several women and children, many of whom were treated for injuries sustained during the incident.
India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences to the families of the victims.
The temple, known for drawing huge crowds, had not anticipated such a large turnout this year. Officials have come under fire for failing to implement proper crowd control measures.
Temple officials admitted to the lack of preparation and pledged to reevaluate safety protocols and take stricter measures at future events to prevent similar tragedies.
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