Devotees claim insects found in Tirupati prasad, temple authorities deny

Devotees have alleged that they found insects in Tirupati prasad served to them at the Tirumala temple in Andhra Pradesh. The temple authorities have rejected such claims, calling them baseless.

In Short

• Devotees demand action against temple staff over 'insects' in Tirupati prasad
• Temple authorities deny claims, calls them baseless and false
• Incident comes amid row over presence of 'animal fat' in Tirupati laddus

Amid a row over the alleged presence of animal fat in Tirupati laddus, devotees have now claimed that insects were found in the prasad served to them at the Tirumala temple in Andhra Pradesh. However, the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), the trust which looks after the temple, dismissed such claims.

The incident occurred on Wednesday. "This is unacceptable and reflects the negligence of TTD authorities," said one devotee, who requested anonymity. "We demand strict action against those responsible."

Sharing his experience, one of the devotees stated, "My name is Chandu, and I travelled from Warangal for darshan. After getting my head shaved, I went for lunch, but during the meal, I discovered a millipede in the curd rice. When I raised the issue with the staff, their response was shockingly casual. They said, ‘It happens sometimes.’ Despite a change in government, these problems persist."

"After documenting the incident with photos and videos, officials approached me, attempting to downplay the situation, claiming the insect came from the leaf used for serving. This negligence is unacceptable. If children or others were to consume contaminated food, who would be held responsible for potential food poisoning?" Chandu said.

The devotee alleged that the temple staff tried to insult and intimidate them after the matter came up. "They were pushing us away. This is deeply concerning and the government should take strict action. The incident occurred around 1:30 pm while we were having lunch," Chandu added.

The revelation has sent shockwaves among the lakhs of Tirupati devotees, coming on the heels of allegations that animal fat was found in the ghee used in the preparation of the laddus.

The Tirupati laddu, a much-revered offering, has long been a symbol of purity and devotion for millions of pilgrims. However, these recent claims have led to growing doubts about the quality control measures in place at the Tirumala temple.

TEMPLE DENIES 'INSECTS IN PRASAD' CLAIMS

The TTD has strongly denied the allegations of devotees saying that insects were present in the prasad, calling them "baseless and false". They emphasised that the prasad is prepared fresh for thousands of devotees daily and it is highly unlikely that an insect could have gone unnoticed.

"TTD prepares hot Anna prasadam for thousands of devotees who come for Srivari Darshan and it is an unconvincing claim that a millipede could fall into the food unnoticed," the statement said.

The TTD further suggested that the complaint could be an attempt to defame the institution and hurt the sentiments of the devotees. "We appeal to devotees not to be carried away by such baseless and false news and to maintain their faith in Sri Venkateswara and TTD," the statement added.