Tirupati (Andhra Pradesh): The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), which manages the Sri Venkateswara Temple in Tirumala, terminated two outsourced employees for allegedly consuming non-vegetarian food near the Alipiri trekking route, a sacred pathway leading to the shrine. The incident has sparked outrage among devotees and raised questions about discipline and sanctity within one of India’s holiest temple towns.
According to officials, the employees, identified as Ramaswamy and Sarasamma, were caught consuming meat near Alipiri, in violation of the strict vegetarian norms observed in the temple area. The TTD issued an official statement confirming that both employees have been dismissed from service and that a complaint has been lodged at the Tirumala II Town Police Station.
Viral Video Shows Staffers Consuming Meat
A video of the incident, which has since gone viral on social media, shows a group of individuals sitting along the Alipiri walkway and eating non-vegetarian food despite repeated warnings from onlookers. Locals recording the footage can be heard urging them to leave the area, citing the sacred nature of the location. However, the group reportedly ignored the requests, leading to immediate disciplinary action once the video reached temple authorities.
The incident has provoked strong reactions from devotees, who questioned how such a lapse could occur in a tightly regulated pilgrimage area where non-vegetarian food, alcohol and tobacco are strictly banned. Many have urged the TTD to strengthen surveillance along the Alipiri route and implement harsher penalties for future offenders.
This is not the first time that the sanctity of Tirumala has come under scrutiny. The temple management has previously dealt with controversies involving drones and airplanes flying over the shrine, a practice considered a violation of Agama Shastra, the traditional temple code. The TTD has repeatedly appealed to the Central Government to declare Tirumala a no-fly zone to preserve the spiritual and ritual purity of the site.
