Tirupati: Seven people died and nearly 35 injured in a stampede at Tirupati on Wednesday at 8.30 pm for getting tokens for Vaikunta Dwara Darshanam on the event of Vaikunta Ekadasi on Friday.

The devotees from Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu came to Tirupati to participate in Vaikunta Ekadasi celebration on Friday. The TTD officials arranged the Darshan tokens in 9 centres at Tirupati and one centre at Tirumala.

Large number of devotees gathered at the token issuing centres from Wednesday morning onwards, the officials announced that tokens will be issued at 5 am on Thursday. But, the TTD officials opened the gates at Wednesday evening at the token issuing centres.

At all of a sudden the devotees throng into the centres caused the stampede at Bairagipatteda, Vishunivasam, Srinivasam and MGM School. The police and the TTD officials are unable to control the mob. Nearly seven people died including six women and 35 people injured were shifted to RUYA Hospital and SWIMS Hospital for treatment.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi who is in the A.P tour expressed deep condolences to the bereaved families at Vizag. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu also expressed deep condolences.

A.P former Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy also expressed deep sorrow and condolences to the bereaved families and also requested the Government and officials to provide better treatment to the injured people and also take the responsibilities for compensation and assistance to the bereaved families.

Three persons of Visakhapatnam, one from Salem, two from Tamil Nadu and one from Narsaraopeta died in the stampede.