Flutter over movement of wild hogs in Tirumala

Tirupati: Pictures of a pack of wild hogs found roaming freely near the shrine in the high security Mada streets of Lord Venkateswara at Tirumala created a flutter on Sunday. These pictures had gone viral on the social media.

About a dozen hogs from the surrounding forests are said to have come into the main area of the hilltop temple town and roamed around near the shrine. It is believed that the hogs managed to come near the shrine as there was no pilgrim movement due to biting cold on the hills, after the shrine closed around midnight after Ekantha Seva.

As these photos went viral, the TTD officials swung into action. TTD officials, including vigilance personnel, later inspected the areas enquiring on the movement of the hogs so as to find their entry points before taking up immediate remedial measures to prevent the straying of the wild pigs in the Mada streets.

They had also put up chain fencing on a war-footing basis at all entry points leading to the Mada streets to stop wild animals. The straying of the wild hogs into the human habitations like Balaji Nagar, RB Centre, cottages and guest houses on the edge of the forest is not new but the hogs coming nearer to the temple area created flutter and miffed the TTD authorities. Despite the big number of about 1000 CC cameras and round-the-clock watch by the security personnel, the hogs entered the area.

The officials are also trying to find out if there was any slackness on the part of the TTD personnel.