The Andhra Pradesh Forest Department successfully captured the leopard responsible for the tragic death of a six-year-old on her way to Tirumala. The department deployed a trap in the vicinity where the girl’s body was discovered. In response to the incident, the Andhra Pradesh government and Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) jointly announced a compensation of Rs 10 lakh for the grieving family.
TTD chairman B Karunakara Reddy visited the location where the young girl’s life was tragically cut short, urging parents to exercise caution and keep a watchful eye on their children while trekking. Enhancing security measures, executive officer A V Dharma Reddy shared plans to install 500 CCTV cameras along the Gali Gopuram to Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy temple stretch, with 24×7 readiness of two cages.
To ensure safety, the temple organization is considering the temporary closure of the trekking paths during the afternoon hours. Subsequently, only groups of 100 individuals accompanied by security guards will be allowed at the critical location where the girl went missing. This arrangement will involve 30 TTD security guards and 10 forest guards.
The incident itself unfolded as a suspected wild animal attack on the steps leading to Tirumala. The young girl, hailing from Dornapadu village in Nellore district, lost her life near Narasimha Swamy temple. The unfortunate event occurred while she and her family were ascending the footway to Tirumala.
According to TTD’s chief vigilance and security officer D Narasimha Kishore, the girl’s disappearance was preceded by her request to her father to buy something, which was met with refusal. After moving away and going missing momentarily, shopkeepers located her and returned her to her parents. Tragically, she disappeared again and couldn’t be found.
In response to recent wild animal attacks on children, the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams imposed limitations on pilgrims taking footpath routes to the Lord Venkateswara temple. Pilgrims with children under 15 years old will only be permitted to trek between 5 am and 2 pm. Additionally, the movement of two-wheelers on ghat roads is restricted from 6 pm to 6 am.
Recognizing the presence of leopards in certain areas, TTD is actively addressing safety concerns by implementing these measures. TTD chairman B Karunakara Reddy will convene a meeting to discuss safety protocols for pilgrims on footpath routes and ghat roads, emphasizing the importance of ensuring visitor safety.
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