The sacred precincts of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) are currently under a cloud, as revelations concerning the deaths of cows at the Sri Venkateswara Goshala have ignited both public concern and political controversy. It has led to a high political drama on Thursday, when leaders of the ruling coalition and the opposition YSRCP have resorted to challenges and counter challenges.
As per the police’s instructions, only the alliance leaders went to visit the Goshala, but former TTD chairman and YSRCP leader Bhumana Karunakar Reddy went out in a demonstration with a large number of followers. The police stopped them. After Bhumana alleged that more than a hundred cows had died in the SV Goshala, TDP state president Palla Srinivasa Rao challenged him to come and see.
Responding to this, Bhumana announced that he would come on Thursday, which was welcomed by the alliance leaders. However, ‘leaders of two parties should not go to the cowshed at the same time. They should come only with MLAs, key leaders and personal security personnel,’ Tirupati SP Harshavardhana Raju clarified.
Earlier, a document of the state government surfaced on April 17, shared by PVS Sarma, an ex-bureaucrat and political critic, indicating that 191 cows died at the TTD’s Goshala, between April 2024 and March 2025. This figure contrasts with TTD’s earlier admissions, which initially denied any recent cow deaths but later acknowledged 222 deaths during the same period, citing natural causes like old age and disease.
The discrepancy between these figures has raised questions about transparency and accountability within the TTD administration. Adding fuel to the fire, Sarma further questioned the very intent behind the Chief Minister’s initial denial. “It is normal for cows to die of old age or disease,” he tweeted, “but what was the need for CM @ncbn to lie blatantly & deny?”
His pointed remark underscores a deeper issue—transparency. Sarma also raised a sensitive and troubling question: were the deceased cows given proper burial, as per dharmic tradition, or were they merely disposed of without due rites? The lack of clarity on this has further unsettled devotees.
The issue has quickly escalated into a political battleground. The opposition YSRCP has accused the ruling Coalition government of negligence and mismanagement. Former TTD Chairman Bhumana Karunakar Reddy alleged that Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu is exploiting the situation to undermine the YSRCP, referencing past controversies such as the alleged adulteration of the sacred ‘Srivari Laddu’ with animal fat during the previous administration’s tenure.
