Six dead as thousands gather for free pass to visit Hindu temple

At least six people were killed and several others injured late on Wednesday in a stampede in southern India after thousands of devotees queued outside one of the most visited Hindu temples to collect tokens for a free visit to the deity.

Authorities had set up counters at a school to issue tokens from Thursday for devotees to visit The Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple, popularly known as the Tirupati, in Andhra Pradesh state during January 10-19, a period considered auspicious by the locals, the Indian Express reported.

People started queuing from as early as Wednesday for the tokens to visit the almost 2,000-year-old temple and pushed and jostled leading to the stampede, according to the office of the chief minister of the state.

"Pained by the stampede in Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh. My thoughts are with those who have lost their near and dear ones," India Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on X.