In a strange solution to combat animal-human conflict at Tirumala, Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) chairperson B Karunakar Reddy on Monday, August 14, announced that the temple management would provide a long stick for every devotee trekking up the Tirumala hills, as measure to protect themselves from wild animals. The announcement was made two days after the death of a six-year-old girl who was mauled by an animal, suspected to be a leopard.
“No matter how many devotees trek up to the temple, a stick will be provided for each of them… it will aid them,” said Karunkar Reddy.
Emphasizing on the importance of sticks to ward off animals, he said, "I don't have to tell you the importance of sticks in the history of humankind. Sticks were the first weapons used by humans."
Along with providing sticks, the Tirupati MLA also announced enhancing security by deploying forest personnel on the trekking route.
Following the attack on six-year-old Lakshita, Karunakar Reddy had earlier on Sunday, August 13 said that there would be no compromise in safeguarding devotees visiting Tirumala, and that TTD would not hesitate to undertake any expenses if the forest, police and TTD officials come up with additional safety proposals.
It is worth noting that this is the second attack on a child in three months only this time, it resulted in death. In June, a five-year-old child was critically injured after being attacked by a leopard on the walkway to the Tirumala temple.
On Saturday, August 12, a day after the attack, Lakshita’s mother Sasikala, a resident of Pothireddypalem village in Kovuru mandal of Nellore district, questioned negligence of authorities which led to the death of her daughter. “There was no fence. If the animal hadn’t come, my daughter wouldn’t have died. There isn’t even a cautionary board in the area. What were the police, forest officials doing?”
TTD Executive Officer Dharma Reddy had termed the incident unfortunate and also announced measures like deploying security guards every 10 meters, setting up of cages, shutting off the path earlier in the day and monitoring animal movements via CCTV cameras will take place.