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 to January 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," Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on X.

Confirming the fatalities, spokesman of the state's ruling Telugu Desam Party told reporters; "The unfortunate incident [...] has claimed the lives of six devotees. I pray to god to give peace to the departed souls".

Deadly accidents are common at places of worship in India during major religious festivals due to poor crowd management and safety lapses.

In July last year, 121 people were killed in northern Uttar Pradesh state during a Hindu religious gathering.

Another 112 people died in 2016 after a huge explosion caused by a banned fireworks display marking the Hindu New Year at a temple in southern Kerala state.

Wednesday's incident comes days before the start of the Kumbh Mela, a six-week Hindu festival of prayer and sacred bathing expected to be the largest religious gathering in history.

Up to 400 million pilgrims are expected to attend, according to organisers.