A shocking security breach occurred at the revered Sri Govindaraja Swamy temple in Tirupati late on Friday night, when a heavily intoxicated man managed to sneak in, climb a temple tower, and attempt to vandalise its sacred pinnacles. The incident has raised serious questions about the vigilance protocols of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), which administers the temple.
The Midnight Intrusion and Vandalism Attempt
The individual involved has been identified as Kuthadi Thirupathi, a 42-year-old daily-wage construction labourer originally from Nizamabad district in Telangana. After relocating to Tirupati with his family, Thirupathi, in an inebriated state, mingled with devotees and entered the temple premises around midnight on Friday.
Exploiting a lapse in surveillance, he then accessed the Nadimi Gopuram by climbing onto a makeshift tent. Once atop the tower, he used a large stick in an attempt to break the Kalasams (the sacred pot-like structures adorning the pinnacle). His suspicious activities were eventually spotted by TTD vigilance and security personnel.
Three-Hour Operation to Apprehend the Intruder
Upon noticing the man on the gopuram, the temple guards immediately alerted their superiors, who then called the Tirupati East police and local fire services. A joint team rushed to the scene. Using ladders, personnel from both departments mounted the structure in a delicate operation that lasted for over three hours before they could safely bring Thirupathi down.
He was subsequently taken into custody and shifted to the Tirupati East police station for detailed questioning. The TTD confirmed the sequence of events in an official press release, stating that a case has been registered.
Political Outcry and History of Security Lapses
The incident has sent shockwaves across the state, prompting strong reactions from public representatives. Tirupati MP Dr M Gurumoorthy expressed deep dismay over the glaring security failure. He highlighted that the temple is located in the heart of the city and is one of its largest, making the breach even more alarming.
Gurumoorthy lamented that this was not an isolated incident, recalling a previous theft at the same temple years ago, where thieves decamped with valuable crowns. He criticised the TTD authorities for apparently failing to plug the security gaps even after that major incident. The MP has demanded a detailed probe by the Andhra Pradesh government and the TTD, along with stringent departmental action against those responsible for the lapses.
This event has once again put the spotlight on the urgent need to overhaul and strengthen security measures at one of India's most prominent temple complexes, to prevent such alarming incidents in the future.
