The Srisailam Devasthanam Temple in Andhra Pradesh has denied viral social media claims accusing that a cockroach was found in one of its famous laddu prasadams. Officials from the temple have strongly refuted the accusation, by saying that the prasad is prepared under strict hygiene protocols and 24/7 CCTV surveillance.
The problem started after a devotee named Saraschandra K,on Sunday posted a video on social media alleging he found a cockroach in a laddu prasadam. The video thereby went viral, increasing concern among devotees and generating outrage on social media. In a complaint filed to the executive officer of the temple, Saraschandra accused the staff of negligence and appealed for action by the authorities.
Srisailam Temple authority refuted the ‘fake’ claim
Rejecting the charges, Executive Officer Srinivasa Rao stated that the allegation was baseless. He further said that “The laddus are made with great care, using quality material and under close supervision. Employees adhere to strict hygiene procedures, wear gloves and caps, and the whole process is watched by CCTV cameras”.
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However, later the temple management has given a clarification that the laddus are produced by combining boondi fried in pure ghee with sugar syrup, drying it under specialized air purifiers, and then molding them under hygienic conditions. The complex is disinfected from time to time, and the temple possesses an ISO-22000: Food Safety Management System certification to obtain food safety standards.
Srisailam Temple authority quoted earlier case
Meanwhile temple authorities said, “This is not the first time misinformation has cropped up,” referring to a similar false report in February 2024 when a devotee reported finding a bone in the temple’s pulihora prasadam. That also was proved to be unfounded after a preliminary review.”.
Following the incident, the authorities have requested devotees not to be taken in by false videos and fake news that would dent the image of Srisailam Kshetra, a most sacred pilgrimage center in Southern India.
“Spreading false rumors about temple offerings not only hurts religious sentiments but also belittles the efforts of people who work hard for the temple every day,” the statement clarified.
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