Goat Sacrifice in Temple Guest House Triggers Outrage
Officials evict occupants immediately
By : DC Correspondent
Update: 2026-01-05 14:22 GMT
Karimnagar: An alleged goat sacrifice at the Bheemeshwara Sadan guest house within the Sri Raja Rajeshwara Swamy Temple complex in Vemulawada triggered outrage over a breach of temple sanctity. The incident, which occurred on Sunday in Room No. 2 located adjacent to the temple, came to light after photographs of the animal sacrifice went viral on social media. The visuals triggered outrage and prompted devotees to demand stricter monitoring of the temple premises.
According to local residents, the room had been allotted to the occupants through the forest department. After visiting the Baddi Pochamma temple, the group allegedly returned to the guest house and sacrificed the animal inside the room, shocking devotees staying nearby.
Responding to the incident, guest house inspector Simhachari rushed to the spot and reprimanded the occupants for violating temple norms. Acting on the instructions of temple authorities, the group was asked to vacate the premises immediately, following which purification rituals were conducted.
Bheemeshwara Sadan is situated next to the Public Relations Office and close to the prasadam preparation unit, where offerings for the deity are cooked. Devotees described it as a grave violation, noting that a blood sacrifice near the kitchen where Swamy vari prasadam is prepared was deeply offensive to religious sentiments.
Following the incident, temple staff and devotees gathered at the guest house and staged a protest. Under the Endowments Act, animal sacrifice is strictly prohibited within temple limits, including residential quarters and guest houses under temple administration.
The incident assumed added significance as Bheemeshwara Sadan currently functions as the administrative hub of the Vemulawada temple. Owing to ongoing expansion works at the main temple, several key offices, including those of the executive officer, engineering and accounts wings, and hundi counting centres, have been shifted to the building.
Constructed at a cost of ₹11 crore with 80 air-conditioned rooms, the Sadan also serves as a venue for high-level coordination meetings. It recently hosted the Maha Shivaratri Jatara coordination committee meeting and is scheduled to host the Tyagaraja Aradhana music festival on January 7.
While Bheemeshwara Sadan was originally built to provide accommodation for pilgrims, its role as an administrative centre has heightened the need for discipline and security. Devotees and local residents have urged the temple board to introduce stricter verification and monitoring mechanisms to ensure that the sanctity of Dakshina Kashi, Vemulawada, is not compromised in the future.
Caption for Photo-1a & 1b of Puli file-1: A goat being allegedly sacrificed by occupants of Bheemeshwara Sadan guest house at the Sri Raja Rajeshwara Swamy Temple complex in Vemulawada.