The TTD EO said nearly 500 CCTV cameras are planned from the point of Gali Gopuram to Lakshmi Narasimha Swami temple on the route.
New Delhi: Devotees climbing to Tirumala Tirupati Balaji temple will now have to carry a stick to fight off the wild animals. the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams has taken a slew of measures after a six-year-old girl was suspected to have been killed by a leopard while she was walking to Tirumala along the Alipiri footpath on Friday night.
Every devotee will also be given a wooden stick to defend themselves in case of a wild animal attack. “We will provide everyone with a stick, no matter how many are required,” said B Karunakar Reddy, chairperson, Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) to NDTV.
The TTD official has also urged the devotees and food stalls on the route not to litter food. Devotees have also been told not to feed monkeys, said a TTD official. The official said a proposal to fence the pedestrian area has been sent to the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests for clearance, because the temple is located in a reserved forest area.
The TTD announced henceforth a group of 100 people will be allowed along with a security guard at the vulnerable point. “Already there are 30 TTD security and 10 forest guards deployed at this point and we will enhance the personnel now,” the EO said. The TTD will initiate more measures after receiving a report from the forest officials.
The forest department along with trained personnel has already kept two cages ready on a 24X7 basis, said TTD Executive Officer (EO) AV Dharma Reddy. The Chief Conservator of Forest, Nageswara Rao, said cages and tranquilisers are already kept ready by the forest personnel and they will catch hold of the predator soon.
The TTD EO said nearly 500 CCTV cameras are planned from the point of Gali Gopuram to Lakshmi Narasimha Swami temple on the route. The temple body has appealed to the parents who are trekking with children on footpaths to take additional precautions.
Leopard Attacks Devotees:
A six-year-old girl is suspected to have been killed by a leopard while she was walking to Tirumala along the Alipiri footpath on Friday night. Lakshitha had been walking far ahead of her parents Dinesh and Sasikala.
Her parents searched for her in vain and alerted the TTD officials. TTD’s vigilance and security personnel along with local police and forest department launched a search operation and they found the girl’s body behind Narasimha Swamy temple on Saturday morning. Forest staff who examined injuries on Lakshitha’s body said she might have succumbed to injuries inflicted by a leopard.
On June 21, a three-year-old boy had miraculously escaped an attack by a leopard. Following that incident, the temple body had appealed to parents to take precautions while trekking with children.
TTD Beefs Up Security
TTD Trust Board Chairman Bhumana Karunakara Reddy said that there is no compromise in safeguarding the devotees coming to Tirumala. The Chairman reviewed the situation that led to leopard attack on the six-year old Lakshita and also visited the spot where her body was found. The forest and TTD vigilance officials explained how the wild cat attacked and dragged the girl’s body in the forest.
He said TTD would not hesitate to undertake any expenses if the forest, police and TTD officials come up with additional safety proposals including technical steps and is committed to assure devotees that there is no recurrence of similar incidents in future.
He said in view of wildlife protection initiatives, the number of wild animals was also on the increase and the focus of TTD was to safeguard the lives of pilgrims on footpaths.
He also assured the family of Lakshita that TTD would extend all support and announced an ex-gratia of Rs 10 lakh of which Rs 5 lakh by TTD and another Rs 5 lakh by forest department to the bereaved family.
He also appealed to parents to take all cautions to keep children in their sight while trekking on footpaths.
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