| Man dies in Tirumala queue
Tirupati, Jan. 25: A 70-year-old pilgrim died within the Vaikuntham queue complex after he fell down during the darshan-rush and was trampled upon by other pilgrims in Tirumala. According to eyewitness accounts about 400 pilgrims tried to rush in through the gate at the same time.
Sankaraiah, a 70-year-old pilgrim from Sivarampalli in Saidabad mandal of Karimnagar, was one in the crowd. He tripped and fell down and rest of the crowd trampled him to death. “There was only one TTD staff member to control the crowd at the gate,” says Ilaiah, Sankaraiah’s relative. Another pilgrim Butchamma said: “If the TTD had deputed more employees at the gate gate, Sankaraiah would have been saved.”
However, the TTD officials refuted the version of Sankaraiah’s relatives and said that Sankaraiah died of old age. Mr A.V. Dharma Reddy, TTD Special Officer said there was no rush in the complex. There was absolutely no scope for stampede. He, however, announced an ex gratia of Rs 2 lakhs from the pilgrims’ insurance scheme.
Doctors at the first aid centre in the complex declared him brought dead. His body has been sent to Karimnagar in a special vehicle. This is the second such incident in Tirumala in a months time. In December 2005 too, many pilgrims were injured in a stampede | 
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