A temple mahout died at a Tirupati hospital after being attacked by an elephant at the Sri Padmavathi Ammavari temple in Tiruchanur, prompting a police investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident and renewed attention to safety arrangements for handlers working with temple animals.
Chandra Sekhar Reddy, 46, was attacked by Srinidhi, the temple elephant, near the Ratha Mandapam on October 4. The elephant was being taken back to the goshala after the Unjala Seva when it knocked Reddy down and stepped on him, according to a report by Deccan Chronicle.
Reddy suffered severe injuries and was shifted to Sri Venkateswara Institute of Medical Sciences hospital in Tirupati. He was treated in the intensive care unit, but his condition later deteriorated. He died while undergoing treatment late on Wednesday, the report said.
Reddy had served as Srinidhi’s mahout for several years on a contractual basis. His employment arrangement places the incident within a wider workplace-safety context involving staff responsible for handling animals during religious events and their movement between temple facilities. The supplied report does not provide details of the safety protocols in place at the temple, whether any prior incidents had been recorded, or whether the elephant had shown signs of distress before the attack.
The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams handed over an ex gratia payment of Rs 5 lakh to Reddy’s family and assured them that a family member would be offered a job in TTD. The temple administration’s assistance follows the death of a worker engaged in a contractual role, although the report does not specify the terms of the proposed employment or whether any additional compensation or support has been announced.
Tiruchanur police registered a case based on a complaint filed by Reddy’s wife, Jyothi. Investigators have begun collecting details to establish the circumstances that led to the attack, including what happened while the elephant was being moved back to the goshala after the temple service.
The incident occurred at a temple complex that receives devotees and conducts scheduled religious activities involving the movement of a trained elephant. The available account does not establish whether visitors were present in the immediate area when the attack took place or whether public movement was restricted during the elephant’s return journey.
The next steps will depend on the police investigation and the details collected from the temple administration, witnesses and those responsible for handling Srinidhi. The authorities have not, in the supplied report, announced any change to the temple’s elephant-management procedures or identified any individual as responsible for the incident.
