The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) has rejected claims made by devotees that insects were found in the prasad (temple offering) at the Lord Venkateswara temple in Tirupati. The alleged incident occurred on Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. during lunch service at the temple.
According to a devotee named Chandu, who had traveled from Warangal, he discovered a millipede in his curd rice, as reported by India Today. Chandu said that when he brought the matter to the staff’s attention, their response was surprisingly indifferent, stating, “It happens sometimes.” Chandu documented the incident with photos and videos, which led to the temple authorities attempting to first downplay the issue and then intimidate him. The authorities reportedly claimed the insect came from the leaf used for serving the food. Chandu expressed his frustration, calling the negligence unacceptable and questioning who would be held accountable if children or others consumed contaminated food and suffered food poisoning. TTD, however, denied the allegations, calling them “baseless and false.” They emphasized that the prasad is freshly prepared daily for thousands of devotees, and such contamination would not go unnoticed.
In their statement, TTD argued that it was implausible for a millipede to go undetected in the freshly made Anna prasadam served to the large number of devotees visiting for Srivari Darshan. They also suggested that the accusations could be an attempt to undermine devotees’ faith in Lord Venkateswara and damage the temple’s reputation. These claims arise at a time when the renowned Tirupati laddu is under scrutiny for alleged animal fat contamination. A special investigation team, with assistance from the CBI, is currently probing the laddu controversy under orders from the Supreme Court.
Team Profile
- Freelance Journalist
- Aryan Gulati is a dedicated media student based in Meerut with a wealth of experience in various newspapers and media houses. He has numerous published articles and specializes in political and crime news writing, demonstrating a strong commitment to impactful journalism.
Latest entries
