Uproar over video of Tamil Nadu devotees eating egg biryani on sacred hills of Tirumala

A controversy has erupted in Andhra Pradesh after Tamil Nadu-based devotees were found eating egg biryani at the Tirumala, where non-vegetarian food is banned. Opposition parties in Andhra Pradesh, including the YSRCP, have criticized the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanms (TTD) alleging a security lapse.

The incident occurred at the Alipiri checkpoint. The devotees had travelled to Tirumala from Gummadipudi village near Tiruvallur in Tamil Nadu.

It is noteworthy that the consumption of non-vegetarian food, alcohol, smoking cigarettes and tobacco is strictly prohibited in Tirumala.

On Friday, some devotees saw a group from Tamil Nadu eating egg biryani at the Rambagicha bus stand and they informed the Tirumala police. Upon questioning, the devotees claimed ignorance of the rules and apologized, requesting forgiveness. Following this, the police issued a stern warning and let them go.

Former TTD chairman Bhumana Karunakar Reddy slammed the TTD administration over the security breach which led to an act of sacrilege on the sacred hill town. "This incident clearly exposes the chinks in the TTD security set-up as the Tamil Nadu devotees easily managed to reach Tirumala with egg biriyani packets after undergoing the mandatory security checks at the Alipiri checkpoint," he said.

Tirupati MP Dr M Gurumoorthy also expressed concern over the incident. He questioned the sincerity of Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu in streamlining the responsibilities of the TTD.