The Andhra Pradesh High Court on Tuesday made strong observations while hearing the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams Parakamani theft case. The court made it clear that thefts occurring in Parakamani cannot be treated as ordinary crimes and must be viewed with greater seriousness.

The High Court noted that the Parakamani holds offerings made by devotees out of faith and devotion. Any theft of such offerings directly affects the sentiments of millions of devotees across the country. The court said that incidents involving sacred donations require stricter safeguards and accountability.

During the hearing, the court stressed the urgent need to modernise the donation counting process at Tirumala. It advised the TTD to reduce human involvement and adopt technology-driven systems. The judges suggested the use of machines and artificial intelligence to ensure transparency and accuracy in counting donations. The court questioned why outdated manual methods were still being followed despite repeated theft incidents.

The High Court also expressed concern over the treatment of devotees who volunteer for donation counting. It was observed that subjecting volunteers to body checks and treating them with suspicion is inappropriate and unacceptable. Devotees who come forward in the spirit of service should not be humiliated or handled like criminal suspects.

The court further stated that outsourcing staff should not be used for counting offerings. It emphasised that the responsibility must remain within a secure and accountable system. The judges directed both parties to place detailed suggestions and corrective measures before the court.

With these observations, the High Court underlined that protecting the sanctity of Parakamani offerings is not merely an administrative matter but a responsibility tied to public faith. The case has been posted for further hearing after the submission of recommendations.