The YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) has rejected the judicial commission report on the January 8, 2025, Tirupati temple stampede, which killed six devotees and injured nearly 40 at Padmavathi Park, branding it "biased and predetermined." Senior YSRCP leader and former Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) chairman B Karunakar Reddy, speaking at a press conference on July 25, 2025, demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe to uncover the truth and hold the guilty accountable.

The report, submitted by retired High Court judge M Satyanarayana Murthy and accepted by Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu’s cabinet on July 24, pinned responsibility on two officials—Goshala director Harinath Reddy and Deputy Superintendent of Police Ramana Kumar—alleging their decision to open a gate triggered the chaos. Reddy criticized the report for scapegoating lower-ranking officials while sparing senior TTD, revenue, and police authorities. “The report lets off the main culprits and targets small-time officials,” he said, alleging TTD staff prioritized VVIP services during the stampede.

The tragedy occurred as devotees jostled for Vaikunta Dwara Darshanam tickets at Lord Venkateswara Swamy temple. YSRCP leaders, including YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, have consistently blamed the Naidu-led government for negligence, citing poor crowd management despite the predictable turnout for Vaikuntha Ekadasi.

Reddy reiterated demands for accountability, including from Naidu, TTD officials, and the district administration, and called for a CBI inquiry to ensure justice. The party also criticized the state’s Rs 25 lakh ex gratia for victims’ kin as insufficient, demanding Rs 50 lakh.

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