HYDERABAD: Adibatla police of Future City commissionerate registered a criminal case against 15 individuals, including temple organisers and committee members, after an alleged animal sacrifice at Beerappa Temple in Adibatla.
The complaint, filed by a cruelty prevention manager from the Stray Animal Foundation of India, an NGO that works on Animal welfare, has sparked a legal dispute between traditional religious practices and animal protection laws.
The case, registered under the Ibrahimpatnam court's jurisdiction, arose after two Instagram pages, amk-cliczz and Baswaraghugoud, posted videos allegedly showing the sacrifice at Beerappa Temple on April 27, 2026.
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The complaint quickly escalated to formal legal proceedings. Adulapuram Goutham, 35, Cruelty Prevention Manager at the Stray Animal Foundation of India, submitted a written petition to the court on April 29, 2026, around 12:20 AM, and requested that the police take action.
According to Goutham, "The video shows that animal sacrifice took place at Adibatla Beerappa Temple on 27.04.2026," and requested that the court and police take necessary legal action.
Based on the petition, S. Venkatesh, Sub-Inspector of Police, registered the case under Section 325 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which addresses mischief by killing or maiming an animal and prescribes penalties for animal cruelty.
Authorities have identified those allegedly responsible. The investigation has named fifteen individuals as organisers and committee members of Beerappa Swamy Temple, including Jamma Srishailam Kuruma, Balam Yadagiri Kuruma, Kore Jangayya, Jamma Beerappa, Kore Shiva, Banda Raju, Cheguri Srinu, Nettu Yadagiri, Cheguri Sattaiah, S. Mahendhar, Uppu Mallesh, Balam Bashkar, Kore Shekhar, and Gudhe Venkatesh.
Although animal sacrifice remains a traditional practice in some temple rituals across Telangana and parts of South India, animal rights activists have increasingly used Section 325 of the BNS, which criminalises the killing or maiming of animals, to challenge these practices.