Tirumala, Oct. 13 -- : The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) has discontinued the practice of temple elephants blessing devotees as a precautionary measure to ensure public safety and protect the animals, TTD Sri Venkateswara Gosamrakshana Shala Director Sivakumar said on Tuesday.
Addressing the media at the Media Centre here, he said the decision was taken in accordance with the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) formulated for the safe handling and management of elephants.
He appealed to devotees to cooperate with the authorities by following the prescribed safety guidelines and maintaining a safe distance from the elephants.
Clear instructions had also been issued to the mahouts to ensure compliance with the regulations, he added...