Tirumala Tirupati Security Breach: Devotee's video of Ananda Nilayam raises concern, TTD orders inquiry

Tirumala Tirupati Security Breach: A devotee managed to enter the Venkateswara Swamy temple with a mobile on unday night i.e. May 7. Due to carelessness on the part of the monitoring crew, the person was able to videotape Ananda Nilayam from a close distance. This security lapse has drawn criticism since it would jeopardise the temple's integrity. 

The Srivari Temple strongly forbids the use of mobile phones, and visitors must be screened by security officers before being admitted. Devotees are outraged and question the effectiveness of the temple's security systems because the person was able to capture images and video inside the shrine.

After the video went viral on Monday, May 8, Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) ordered a probe into the incident, with the temple body's vigilance and security wing coming under the scanner for its failure to prevent the security breach in the first place.

According to TTD's chief vigilance and security officer (CVSO) D Narasimha Kishore, they are using the IT department's assistance to identify the original source of the video's social media uploads. Strong legal action would be taken against the offender in question.

“It is deplorable that the devotee in question took a video of the Ananda Nilayam Vimanam and posted it on social media, despite knowing that doing so was against all norms. We will trace the miscreant and take legal action,” the CVSO added. 

Stating that an inquiry into the issue will be launched as per the instructions of TTD executive officer AV Dharma Reddy, Kishore explained that Tirumala witnessed heavy rainfall coupled with thunder and lightning on Sunday, which resulted in power interruption that lasted for about two hours.

“During that time, a devotee is suspected to have captured the video of the Vimana Gopuram with a pen camera,” he further said.