Pawan expresses sorrow

 Tirupati: Ins harp contrast to the attempts of YSRCP which tried to politicise the tragedy that took place at Tirupati on Wednesday, Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan acknowledged state’s responsibility for the tragedy and extended an apology to the injured, the bereaved families, and devotees of Lord Venkateswara. He also requested forgiveness from those who uphold the Hindu faith.

Pawan launched a scathing attack on the police and TTD authorities, accusing them of gross negligence. He suggested that a conspiracy may have played a role, given the chaos despite the presence of law enforcement and administrative personnel. He said the failure of a few officials was causing embarrassment to the government which was striving for the welfare of the people and that should not be tolerated. He said Tirupati police were ill-trained in crowd management and even the district authorities displayed gross negligence.

Pawan Kalyan visited the incident site at PadmavatiPark in Bairagipatteda to assess the situation and held discussions with officials, including Joint Collector Shubham Bansal, DSP Chenchu Babu, Chittoor SP Manikanta Chandolu and Tirupati MLA Arani Srinivasulu. He also visited SVIMS Hospital to meet the injured and offered condolences to the families of the deceased.

The Deputy CM criticised the VIP culture prevailing in the TTD and called for a paradigm shift in prioritising the needs of ordinary devotees. He stressed the need to minimise long waiting hours, questioning why common pilgrims often endure waits of 10 to 12 hours. Pawan Kalyan urged TTD Board members and police officials to personally visit the families of the deceased and offer their sympathies. The Jana Sena leader emphasised the importance of accountability and transparency in managing pilgrim services.