Union Home Ministry flags security lapses in temple town with Andhra government
The Ministry of Home Affairs has asked the Andhra Pradesh government to look into the repeated security lapses at Tirumala, the sacred temple town in Tirupati district. The Union Home Ministry's action came in response to a complaint submitted by Member of Parliament from Tirupati Lok Sabha constituency Maddila Gurumurthy. In his letter to the Home Ministry, the YSR Congress Party leader said he was concerned about public safety at the holy site.advertisement
Under Secretary Mrutyunjay Tripathy, in response, wrote to the Chief Secretary of Andhra Pradesh on April 17, asking the state government to examine the issue seriously and take necessary steps to strengthen security measures. The ministry also asked the Chief Secretary to reply MP Gurumurthy regarding the recurring safety lapses at Tirumala. Source said that Gurumurthy, in a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, had raised alarm over repeated security lapses at Tirumala, which not only affected the pilgrims but also compromised 'the sanctity of Lord Venkateswara Swamy's sacred abode.'He blamed the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) administration, appointed by the Telugu Desam Party-led government, for failing to implement robust security measures, which endangered pilgrims' lives.The MP cited the January 8 stampede ahead of Vaikunta Ekadasi in Tirupati, which killed six devotees and injured over 50, as a key example. He stressed that the absence of a dedicated security head and poor coordination among multiple agencies has severely weakened security. 'Incidents at Alipiri and Tirumala show the urgent need for comprehensive action,' he wrote.advertisementThe Home Ministry acknowledged these concerns and emphasised the importance of securing one of India's busiest and most sacred pilgrimage centres. Gurumurthy also listed the Annadanam queue stampede incident. He pointed out poor crowd control led to a stampede-like situation, endangering many devotees. He mentioned a January 20 security breach where people smuggled non-vegetarian food, including egg biryani, into Tirumala through Alipiri, violating temple norms. Another security breach pointed out by the MP was that unauthorised hawkers were caught sneaking alcohol and ganja through the Alipiri checkpoint in MarchHe also mentioned the incident where forest officials were found canoeing in the sacred dam waters of Papavinasanam Dam without TTD's knowledge.Additionally, on April 15, a drone spotted near the temple caused a scare. It was later traced to a YouTuber from Rajasthan, who was detained by TTD for flying near the sacred complex.Written by Devang Durlav Das Must Watch
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