Tirupati deaths akin to Godavari Pushkaralu casualties in 2015
Deccan ChronicleVijayawada:The deaths of six pilgrims and injuries to over 40 more in the stampede in Tirupati on Wednesday have similarities in relation to the killing of 29 pilgrims during the Godavari Pushkaralu in Rajahmundry on July 14, 2015. The 2015 stampede took place when the gates were opened suddenly to allow the pilgrims to move in at a time in large numbers. In Tirupati, as a large number of pilgrims arrived in advance to get tickets to take darshan of Lord Venkateswara on the eve of Vaikunta Ekadasi festival from January 10 to 12. The opening of a gate for an emergency purpose led to the stampede deaths, During the Godavari Pushkaralu, a large number of devotees had turned up at the main bathing ghat on the banks of Godavari river, called Pushkar ghat, to take holy dip at the auspicious time of 6.26am on July 14. It concluded that the stampede took place due to the arrival of a large number of devotees at the same time to take the dip in the river.