Rotten Meat Seizure Uncovers Inter-State Supply Network in Tirupati

Tirupati:A recent municipal corporation raid that led to seizure of rotten sheep and goat meat parts has exposed the role of an inter-state supply network that sourced animal by-products from other cities and channelled them into the local meat market.

The inspections were conducted by the MCT health wing at the PP Chavadi meat market last week. It found around 600 kg of rotten goat and sheep heads, legs, intestines and other meat parts stored in unhygienic conditions in 18 shops.

“Some of the stocks were in a decomposed state and unfit for human consumption,” official said, adding that they suspected another 400-500kg of meat might be stored in locked freezer units that could not be inspected.

The seizure raised questions about the source of the meat and how it reached Tirupati. Preliminary inquiries revealed that goat heads, legs and offal were being sourced from major cities such as Chennai and Bengaluru and parts of Maharashtra, where demand for such products is relatively low.

Traders allegedly collected the material from different sources over several days and transported these in bulk to Tirupati through container vehicles and railway parcel services largely on weekends.

Sources in the meat trade said the business was lucrative due to the price difference between source markets and Tirupati.

A goat head available for Rs 50-Rs 100 in Chennai or Bengaluru could reportedly fetch around `200 in Tirupati's wholesale market, while retail prices at local mutton shops can touch `600.

The meat was being supplied to hotels, restaurants, messes and roadside food outlets that serve dishes such as head curry, paya, mutton soup and boti curry.

The seizure also raised questions about the volume of goat heads, legs and offal available in Tirupati. Municipal records show the city has 237 meat and chicken retail outlets, including less than 100 mutton shops. Officials estimate that only around 150 sheep and goats are officially slaughtered through authorised channels on weekends.

The mismatch between official slaughter figures and the quantity of heads, legs and offal available in the market has exposed the role of unauthorised supply channels in the local meat trade. Officials believe the PP Chavadi market functioned as a key storage and distribution hub for meat brought from outside the city.

MCT health officer Yuva Anvesh, who led the raid, said strict action would be taken against those found selling rotten meat. "Trade licences of violators would be cancelled and penalties imposed. Only meat certified by veterinary officials and processed at the authorised municipal slaughterhouse should be sold," he said.

How long this situation, potentially harmful to health, remained unchecked in the city raises question marks on the efficacy of the municipal regulatory systems.