Andhra Pradesh police have launched an investigation into the viral. (Photo: X)

Andhra Pradesh’s Gopalpatnam police is investigating the viral video that showed a snail in the Pulihora (lemon rice) prasadam of Varaha Nrusimha Swamy temple at Simhachalam. The temple authorities claimed that it is a “deliberate attempt” to defame the temple.

The controversy sparked after a couple’s video showing a snail in a packet of pulihora (tamarind rice) sold as prasadam. They urged devotees to practise caution while consuming the prasadam.

Following the outrage, the temple administration lodged a police complaint.

Temple’s Executive Officer (EO) and the Deputy Commissioner of Endowments N Sujatha reacted to the incident and said, “There is no chance of a snail being mixed in the prasadam, as the prasadam-making area is clean and a big area. If it was in the rice or in the tempering spices (popu dinusulu in local parlance, which are common ingredients in cooking), there would not be any shell in the prasadam, but the video shows a snail with a shell. Even if it was mixed in the tamarind, there was a separation process of waste or other material in the machine, and it was crushed and became yellow in colour after the turmeric mixture. Anyhow, we initiated an inquiry and have sent the report to the collector and the endowment commissioner.”

The incident also triggered a political row and YSR Congress Party shared a video on X. An excerpt from the caption reads, “The coalition government has failed to properly look after Hindu temples. Because of this negligence, such incidents are happening again and again. Impurities and insect remains are being found in prasadam, hurting the faith and sentiments of devotees.”