Tirupati Temple Board Suspends Official For Attending Church Prayers

The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), the administrative body overseeing the revered hill shrine of Lord Venkateswara, has suspended its Assistant Executive Officer (AEO) A Rajasekhar Babu with immediate effect for allegedly attending church in his hometown in Tirupati district.  

The suspension follows revelations that he allegedly attended church prayers every Sunday and was involved in "propagating Christianity," a direct violation of the code of conduct for employees representing the Hindu trust.

"It has come to the notice of TTD that Sri Rajasekhar Babu attends local church prayers every Sunday in his hometown Puttur in Tirupati district," said the temple body in a statement.

The TTD's decision comes as part of a broader crackdown on employees participating in non-Hindu religious activities. Earlier, the TTD had transferred at least 18 employees, including teachers, technical officers, nurses, and other officers, for similar reasons.

According to a statement issued by the Chief Public Relations Officer of TTD, Tirupati, it came to their attention that Rajasekhar Babu regularly attended local church prayers in his hometown of Puttur.

The TTD stated that this conduct is a clear violation of TTD norms, as he failed to adhere to the code of conduct expected of an employee representing a Hindu religious organization and acted irresponsibly.

The departmental action against Rajasekhar Babu was initiated after the TTD Vigilance Department submitted a report and other evidence supporting the allegations.

A video has gone viral showing him attending church and offering prayers.