Latest news with #VaikuntaEkadasi
Hans India
02-05-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
3-member committee gets on toes to probe Simhachalam incident
Visakhapatnam: The committee constituted by the state government to probe into the tragic incident of wall collapse at Simhachalam temple on Chandanotsavam day launched the investigation on Thursday. A three-member committee was constituted by the state government to probe into the details of the unfortunate incident and dig out facts. As a preliminary report is expected to be submitted within 72 hours, the three-member committee under the chairmanship of Municipal Administration and Urban Development Principal Secretary S Suresh Kumar, EAGLE chief Ake Ravi Krishna, irrigation engineer in chief Venkateswara Rao reached Simhachalam uphill and launched the investigation. As part of the probe, the committee members examined the quality of the wall constructed at the Rs 300 queue line and looked into other technical aspects. Along with district collector MN Harendhira Prasad and City Police Commissioner Shankhabrata Bagchi, officials from the endowments department, tourism and other departments visited the incident spot on Thursday. However, who is going to be made responsible for the Simhachalam tragic incident needs to be seen. The recent stampede that occurred at Tirupati while waiting to collect tokens for darshan at Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) Sri Venkateswara temple in Tirumala on the occasion of Vaikunta Ekadasi killed six people. After the investigation, the state government took action against those responsible for the incident. This included transfer of Tirupati SP and suspension of a few police officials. During his visit to Visakhapatnam to console the wall collapse victims of Simhachalam, former Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy pointed out that instead of punishing the responsible officials in the stampede incident, the NDA government promoted them to higher positions. Further, the former CM expressed concern over how Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu is quick in forming committees but negligent in taking action against the erring officials. As the inquiry into the wall collapse incident at Simhachalam is in progress, it may be noted that development works are going on at the shrine under the PRASAD scheme of the Central government. The wall that collapsed on the fateful day was also built by the same contractor. When enquired, it is learnt that the contractor informed the committee that the wall was raised in such a short span following the pressure from the engineering officials. Whether the wall was constructed as part of the PRASAD scheme's development works or not is also considered in the probe. The investigation involving engineering officials and contractors is likely to continue on Friday.
Hans India
01-05-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
Jagan demands Rs 1 cr ex-gratia to kin of Simhachalam victims
Visakhapatnam: Former Chief Minister and YSRCP president YS Jagan Mohan Reddy demanded severe action against those responsible for the mishap at Simhachalam temple and an exgratia of Rs.1 crore to the deceased families each from the government. After interacting with the kin of the deceased families, Jagan came down heavily on the government for its utter negligence in conducting the festival that claimed seven lives and injured a few others. Speaking to the media after visiting a victim's house and offering condolences to the bereaved family members, Jagan criticised that the incident claimed lives of innocent devotees as the wall which collapsed killing the devotees was constructed without the prescribed format nor were tenders called for the same. 'The construction of the wall was carried out in a hurry, and it was not a RCC wall. It was raining and devotees were asked to queue up along the wall that eventually fell over them killing them instantly. It reflects the government's sheer negligence in organising the festival,' he expressed concern. Despite being aware that Chandanotsavam is an annual event and that lakhs of devotees would throng the temple to witness the nijarupa darshan, Jagan said, the authorities did not take proper measures and allowed the devotees to queue up at the 10-feet high wall without providing any security to them. He said that it was customary that it would rain during Chandanotsavam and safety measures should have been taken keeping the inclement weather in view. 'We demand that the kin of the deceased families should be given Rs.1 crore exgratia like how the YSRCP government had provided during the LG Polymers gas leak incident. A series of such incidents have been happening ever since the NDA government has assumed office,' Jagan pointed out. During the previous TDP's tenure, Jagan recalled how 29 lives were lost in the stampede occurred during Godavari pushkarams and now in eleven months' time since the NDA government took over, similar incidents were repeatedly taking place due to sheer negligence of the government. 'Chandrababu tried to politicise Tirupati laddu issue and during Vaikunta Ekadasi, six people died in the stampede as the devotees were flocked in a park and the gates were suddenly opened. The policeforce was deputed to Kuppam for Chandrababu's visit and the devotees had to pay a heavy price. Also, we have seen cows dying in large numbers at Tirupati Ghosala and star tortoises dying at Srikurmam,' Jagan mentioned. The former CM criticised that Chandrababu Naidu is good at forming a committee whenever such incidents occur and the whereabouts of the report will never be known. During the Tirupati incident, the SP was transferred but given a better posting, he pointed out. Jagan demanded the government to take stringent action against those responsible for the incident instead of resorting to diversionary tactics.
The Hindu
01-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Government's negligence led to death of seven devotees at Simhachalam: YSRCP leader Jagan
YSRCP president Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy on Wednesday slammed the NDA government for its 'negligence,' which, he alleged, led to the wall collapse and death of seven devotees at Simhachalam during Chandanotsavam. Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy arrived in Visakhapatnam in the evening and met the family members of the deceased — P. Uma Maheswara Rao and his Sailaja, and their relatives Mahalakshmi and Venkata Ratnam — hailing from Chandrampalem. Later, addressing the media, he questioned why did the government not take adequate measures despite knowing that the festival would attract lakhs of devotees. Though the government boasted of five-member Ministers' committee to review the arrangements, it terribly failed to make basic arrangements. He questioned why was the wall constructed three days ago, and suspected its quality. The YSRCP president said he was informed that devotees had no access to toilets and drinking water along the queue lines. 'The government is not at all serious about the general devotees,' he said. Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy said Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu tried to defame the TTD by creating a 'fake story' on laddu. In January this year, on the occasion of 'Vaikunta Ekadasi' at Tirumala, six devotees died in a stampede. Due to the negligence of the government, many cows died in the TTD-run gosala and several tortoises died in Srikurmam, he alleged. During the Godavari Pushkarams in 2015, 29 people died in a stampede, he recollected. 'Whenever such incidents take place, Mr. Naidu constitutes a committee. But its findings are never made public, and no action is taken,' he alleged. In the recent Tirumala stampede incident, Mr. Naidu transferred a police officer and later rewarded him with a better posting. 'That very officer, now part of the Special Investigation Team, is known to be close to Mr. Naidu,' the YSRCP chief said. 'There should be a sense of accountability among officials and police. They should fear the consequences for being irresponsible. But under Mr. Naidu's leadership, no one is held accountable, which is why such incidents keep repeating,' he said. 'The government has announced compensation only after learning that I am visiting to console the victims,' he added. YSRCP Uttarandhra regional coordinator K. Kannababu, Anakapalli district president Gudivada Amarnath, Visakhapatnam district president K.K. Raju, and MLCs Botcha Satyanarayana and Varudu Kalyani were present.
India Today
23-04-2025
- Politics
- India Today
Union Home Ministry flags security lapses in temple town with Andhra government
The Ministry of Home Affairs has asked the Andhra Pradesh government to look into the repeated security lapses at Tirumala, the sacred temple town in Tirupati district. The Union Home Ministry's action came in response to a complaint submitted by Member of Parliament from Tirupati Lok Sabha constituency Maddila Gurumurthy. In his letter to the Home Ministry, the YSR Congress Party leader said he was concerned about public safety at the holy Under Secretary Mrutyunjay Tripathy, in response, wrote to the Chief Secretary of Andhra Pradesh on April 17, asking the state government to examine the issue seriously and take necessary steps to strengthen security measures. The ministry also asked the Chief Secretary to reply MP Gurumurthy regarding the recurring safety lapses at Tirumala. Source said that Gurumurthy, in a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, had raised alarm over repeated security lapses at Tirumala, which not only affected the pilgrims but also compromised 'the sanctity of Lord Venkateswara Swamy's sacred abode.'He blamed the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) administration, appointed by the Telugu Desam Party-led government, for failing to implement robust security measures, which endangered pilgrims' MP cited the January 8 stampede ahead of Vaikunta Ekadasi in Tirupati, which killed six devotees and injured over 50, as a key example. He stressed that the absence of a dedicated security head and poor coordination among multiple agencies has severely weakened security. 'Incidents at Alipiri and Tirumala show the urgent need for comprehensive action,' he Home Ministry acknowledged these concerns and emphasised the importance of securing one of India's busiest and most sacred pilgrimage centres. Gurumurthy also listed the Annadanam queue stampede incident. He pointed out poor crowd control led to a stampede-like situation, endangering many devotees. He mentioned a January 20 security breach where people smuggled non-vegetarian food, including egg biryani, into Tirumala through Alipiri, violating temple norms. Another security breach pointed out by the MP was that unauthorised hawkers were caught sneaking alcohol and ganja through the Alipiri checkpoint in MarchHe also mentioned the incident where forest officials were found canoeing in the sacred dam waters of Papavinasanam Dam without TTD's on April 15, a drone spotted near the temple caused a scare. It was later traced to a YouTuber from Rajasthan, who was detained by TTD for flying near the sacred by Devang Durlav Das Must Watch IN THIS STORY#Andhra Pradesh
Hans India
22-04-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
YSRCP condemns sacrilege at Sri Kurmam Temple
Vijayawada: Former MLA Malladi Vishnu expressed profound concern and outrage over the recent death of star tortoises at Sri Kurmam temple in Srikakulam, terming the incident a grave sacrilege. The coalition government's negligence has led to a series of attacks on Hindu dharma, the deaths of approximately 15 tortoises, revered as embodiments of Lord Vishnu, as a direct result of the Endowments Department's failure. Vishnu on Monday criticised the authorities for cremating the tortoises behind the temple's Executive Officer's office without conducting post-mortems, suppressing the incident. He contrasted this with the YSRCP government's practice of numbering and medically monitoring tortoises, highlighting the current administration's inability to protect even 200 tortoises at the sacred site. The coalition government's undermining of Hindu sentiments through repeated desecrations at sacred sites, including the deaths of cows at TTD's goshala in Tirupati, adulteration of Tirupati laddus, and incidents like the demolition of Kashinayana temple in Kadapa and deaths during Vaikunta Ekadasi. He pointed to ongoing sacrilegious acts at Tirumala, such as devotees wearing footwear, filming reels, and using drones, alongside inadequate facilities for pilgrims and a recent gold theft in Tirumala's parking area. Vishnu stated that the government's failure to appoint an Executive Officer for Vijayawada's Kanaka Durga temple exemplifies its administrative lapses. He demanded an immediate inquiry into the Sri Kurmam incident, strict action against those responsible, and a response from Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan and BJP-affiliated organizations, questioning their silence. Vishnu warned that continued governmental inaction would prompt large-scale protests led by the YSRCP to protect Hindu dharma.
