Rs 10 lakh ex gratia announced
PNS | Vijayawada
TTD Trust Board Chairman, Bhumana Karunakara Reddy, said on Saturday that the safety of devotees visiting Tirumala for Srivari Darshan is non-negotiable. The Chairman conducted a thorough review of the circumstances surrounding the recent leopard attack on six-year-old Lakshita and personally visited the location where her tragic incident occurred.
In collaboration with forest and TTD vigilance officials, a comprehensive explanation was provided regarding the wild cat’s attack and subsequent actions.
Addressing the media, the TTD Chairman highlighted that the organisation had already implemented several safety measures following a similar incident on June 22nd. He reaffirmed TTD’s commitment to devotee safety and expressed willingness to allocate necessary resources, including financial support, for additional safety measures proposed by Forest, police, and TTD officials. The Chairman’s priority remains in preventing the recurrence of such unfortunate incidents in the future, underscoring the increasing wildlife presence due to conservation efforts and the paramount importance of safeguarding pilgrims on footpaths.
In response to the report of the missing girl, TTD, along with forest, vigilance, police, and government forest units, initiated a comprehensive joint search operation in the Seshachala forests, leaving no room for negligence.
Furthermore, the TTD Chairman assured the grieving family of Lakshita of TTD’s full support during their difficult time. He announced an ex gratia of Rs 10 lakh, with Rs 5 lakh contributed by TTD and an additional Rs 5 lakh from the Forest department.
In a heartfelt appeal, he urged parents to exercise utmost caution and vigilance, emphasising the necessity of keeping a watchful eye on children when trekking along footpaths.
The review meeting was attended by TTD Deputy CFO Srinivas, VGO Giridhar, DFO Satish, CI Jaganmohan Reddy, and other officials.
