Tirupati Board Member Files Police Complaint Against Former Chairman Over Cattle Death Claim

Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams board member G Bhanu Prakash Reddy lodged a complaint with the district Superintendent of Police against former chairman B Karunakar Reddy for allegedly "defaming" and "undermining the status" of the temple body with his allegations on cattle deaths.

However, Karunakar Reddy demanded a thorough probe into the bovine deaths and asserted that he would stand by his statements, as he had done "no wrong".

On April 11, Karunakar Reddy addressed a press conference here and alleged that cows at the TTD Goshala (cow shelter) were dying in large numbers—claiming that 100 bovines had perished over the past three months due to "negligence".

"Baseless allegations on imaginary grounds certainly amount to defamation, and they lower the status of the temple and its administration in the eyes of the general public," said Bhanu Prakash Reddy in the complaint, which was shared with PTI on Tuesday. The complaint rebuts Karunakar Reddy’s claims.

He further noted that these allegations had made their way into newspapers and social media, thereby "wounding the feelings of devotees and shaking their faith." In light of this, Bhanu Prakash Reddy requested the SP to take appropriate action against the former TTD chairman and others involved in making such claims.

Meanwhile, on Monday, Karunakar Reddy reiterated his demand for a thorough investigation into the bovine deaths and maintained that he stood by his statements. "I will not fear any threats, as I have done no wrong," he said.

"TTD Executive Officer (EO) Shyamala Rao stated that 43 cows had died, while Chairman B R Naidu claimed the number was 22. Both figures contradict Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu’s assertion that there have been no deaths at the goshala," Karunakar Reddy said in a YSRCP press release.

Accusing the Chief Minister, the EO, and the Chairman of providing conflicting figures, Karunakar Reddy said they had failed to address the issue with transparency and questioned their accountability.

He also criticised the TTD administration for "dismissing the deaths as age-related", stating that the photographs he had released were of young cows and calves, substantiating his claims.

Moreover, he accused TTD Chairman B R Naidu of threatening to file criminal cases against him across the state, and declared that he was ready to face legal action—even imprisonment—in defence of devotees’ sentiments.

He urged the TTD to stop "politicising” the issue and instead address the alleged mismanagement at the goshala. 

(This report has been published as part of the auto-generated syndicate wire feed. Apart from the headline, no editing has been done in the copy by ABP Live.)

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