Drunk man climbs Tirupati temple Gopuram

Security personnel and devotees at the historic Sri Govindarajaswamy Temple in Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh were sent into a state of panic after an inebriated man climbed the temple's 100-foot 'Gopuram' (monumental entrance tower), causing a massive security scare, the police said on Saturday.

He has been detained and taken to the Tirupati police station for questioning.

The individual, identified as Kuttadi Tirupati, a resident of Nizamabad district, managed to scale the intricate carvings of the tower before he perched himself at a precarious height in the early morning hours of Saturday, according to a local media report.

The man appeared visibly intoxicated and remained atop the structure for more than an hour, prompting a swift response from the temple administration and the police, the report said quoting an eyewitness.

"The individual bypassed the primary security cordon and ascended the Gopuram. Our teams, along with the Fire and Emergency Services, acted immediately to bring him down safely without any damage to the heritage structure," a senior Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) official said.

Police officials confirmed that the man was taken into custody for questioning to determine how he accessed the restricted area.

Preliminary investigations suggest the breach occurred due to a lapse in perimeter monitoring during peak pilgrim hours.

This incident has once again brought the security apparatus of Tirupati's shrines under intense scrutiny.

The temple complex has faced several security challenges in recent years.

In 2023, the TTD faced criticism after a drone video of the Tirumala temple surfaced on social media, despite the area being a designated no-fly zone.

The past incidents of unauthorised persons entering the 'Vaikuntam' queue complexes and occasional thefts of temple ornaments have led to repeated calls for a comprehensive security overhaul.

In 2021, authorities intensified vigil after reports of unidentified persons attempting to photograph prohibited sanctum areas.

Security experts noted that Saturday's breach at Sri Govindarajaswamy Temple highlights the need for increased personnel and advanced surveillance to protect the millions of pilgrims who visit these sites annually.