EO Clarifies That TTD Has No Connection With Hair Seized At Myanmar Border

TIRUMALA: Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) Additional EO AV Dharma Reddy clarified that the recent seizure of 120 bags of tonsured human hair by Assam Rifles at the Mizoram – Myanmar border had no connection with TTD.

Speaking to the media on Tuesday the EO said that the hair donated by the devotees from TTD was auctioned to international bidders. He said that some people were slandering the name of the TTD on Social Media through fake posts.

Speaking further, he said that  Hindus all over the world consider Tirumala as the spiritual capital and this kind of unwarranted publicity on TTD was highly inappropriate. He also clarified that the TTD name was not named in the seizure report of the hairs found on the Myanmar border. Customs officials said they seized Rs 18.17 lakh worth of unprocessed hair.

We never selling hair without processing in TTD and the hair is also sent from Tirumala to Tirupati under heavy security. Not a strand of hair can be stolen, he asserted. The sale of human hair takes place through an e-platform every three months as a routine process. The TTD would blacklist the companies if the authorities officially find any evidence against them.

The EO also expressed angst that some media channels were blaming TTD employees for cheap popularity and hurting their sentiments. We have registered cases against six persons at the Tirupati East Police Station, he said.

Thousands of pilgrims and devotees from all over the world visit Tirumala in Andhra Pradesh and offer their hair as a symbol of devotion and respect to Lord Venkateswara. The hair is processed and sold to international markets through e-auctions where there is a major demand for Indian hair to make wigs and used in the fashion industry.

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