Tirupati stampede, the Andhra Pradesh government on Thursday announced a judicial inquiry into the incident that seems to have been the result of a policeman's innocuous act of opening the gate with the intention of aiding a sick woman. People were waiting to receive tokens for a holy event at the famous Lord Venkateswara Swamy shrine on Tirumala hills for January 10 when tragedy struck. Following complaints by revenue officials, two FIRs were registered in connection with the stampede which has also left dozens injured. They were registered under Section 194 of Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) which deals with unnatural deaths, a senior police official said.
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The government announced an ex-gratia of Rs 25 lakh each to the kin of victims of a virtually unprecedented incident that prompted deputy chief minister Pawan Kalyan to apologise to the nation and the Hindu community.
Heads rolled after Chief Mininster N Chandrababu Naidu took serious note of the matter and sought accountability from officials concerned. He visited the accident spot and also met the injured persons and comforted them.
Survivors recounted horrific moments of the tragedy, recalling the crowd surge that led to the stampede while some others complained of long waiting hours to get tickets for the Vaikunta Dwara Darshanam, slated for Friday.
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