The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD), the official custodian of Sri Venkateswara temple in Tirupati, on Monday took strict action against two outsourcing employees, Ramaswamy and Sarasamma, for consuming non-vegetarian food near Alipiri. A complaint has been filed at Tirumala II Town Police Station, and both have been removed from service.
"TTD has taken strict action against two outsourced employees, Ramaswamy and Sarasamma, for consuming non-vegetarian food near Alipiri," said an official press release from the temple body. The entrance area to the temple serves as a vital point to Tirumala, where strict vegetarianism is observed in keeping with the temple’s sanctity.
The case was registered under section 114 of the Andhra Pradesh Charitable and Endowments Act, and an investigation has been initiated, police said.
It should be noted that the consuming non-vegetarian food, alcohol, or tobacco is strictly banned within Tirumala limits under TTD regulations and this incident, which was reported near Alipiri, a sensitive security zone, has raised questions about the enforcement of these restrictions and the effectiveness of ongoing surveillance at the checkpoint.
However, the TTD officials stated they acted swiftly after receiving a complaint and reaffirmed their commitment to upholding the spiritual and cultural sanctity of the holy hill.
