Two Officials Found Responsible For 'Negligence' In Tirupati Stampede Case

The one-man judicial commission investigating the January 8 Tirupati stampede, in which six people died and over 50 were injured, has submitted its report, giving a clean chit to then Tirupati SP L Subbarayudu and the then TTD chief vigilance and security officer S Sreedhar. The commission, headed by retired High Court Judge Justice M Satyanarayana Murthy, found fault with Dr Harinatha Reddy, Director of the cow protection centre, and DSP AV Ramana Kumar, for their negligence in taking adequate safety and security measures.

The tragic incident occurred during the distribution of tokens for Vaikunta Ekadashi darshan at Padmavati Park in Bairagipatteda.

According to the commission's findings, the stampede was a direct result of the negligence of Harinatha Reddy and Ramana Kumar, who issued orders to open the gate, leading to a chaotic situation. The report also highlighted that despite the availability of two ambulances, the injured could not be transported efficiently, contributing to the fatalities.

The state cabinet discussed and approved the report on Thursday. Based on the commission's recommendations, the cabinet has directed that disciplinary action be initiated against Dr. Harinatha Reddy and DSP AV Ramana Kumar for dereliction of duty.

The commission has also recommended an administrative review of IAS officer M Gowthami's conduct by the general administration department.

The commission, constituted on January 22, had been tasked with investigating the cause of the stampede, identifying lapses, and recommending future preventive measures. Over two months, it examined 54 witnesses, including victims, their families, officials, and experts.

The report concluded that while TTD and police had made overall arrangements, "field-level negligence led to the tragedy."

The commission has proposed measures for future prevention, including infrastructure and technology upgrades, better crowd management systems, reforms in VIP darshan policies, and enhanced training and public awareness.