Hair smuggling connection from Tirupati temple to China
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Hair smuggling The issue of the consignment of Mundan’s hair caught two months ago on the India and Myanmar border has brought the politics of Andhra Pradesh to a halt.
It is feared that these hairs were being smuggled from Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD). This temple is also connected to the feelings of the people.
Now the hair smuggling is also being discussed among the devotees. The cost of caught hair is estimated to be around Rs 1.8 crore.
The question is being asked, what did the authorities do after trafficking was detected? The question is also why a case has been filed in Tirumala against some social media accounts and a TV channel?
Mundan’s hair was caught two months ago. A search party of the Assam Rifles caught this consignment of hair on the Myanmar border adjoining Mizoram. But this is being discussed more now.
Usually, gold and wild animals are smuggled into this area. But for the first time, the security forces received 120 bags full of human hair. Each bag had about fifty kilograms of hair. There was a dispute about its recovery.
Hair Smuggling 120 sacks full of hair
In an official statement issued on March 20, it has been said that the security forces caught this consignment of hair from a truck.
Some officials had told the media that the drivers driving the truck had claimed that the hair was being brought from Tirupati.
According to officials on Hair Smuggling, the driver said that he was given a contract to bring hair from Tirupati by a woman named Ezwal.
A report in the English newspaper Hindu also quoted officials as saying that trucks were supposed to bring hair from several temples in the country, but the truck which was seized contained hair brought from Tirupati.
The driver of the truck, Mungayan Singh, was severely questioned by the police. The truck was caught within 7 km of the Indian border. Officials said that the value of hair seized from the truck could be up to Rs 1.8 crore.
From India, these children are trafficked and taken to Myanmar. Then they reach Thailand where they are prepared and sent to China.
Wig making business in china
According to officials, these hair wigs are made in China and then they are sent to markets all over the world.
According to market watchers, 70 percent of the wig making business is held by China. Head hair markets are worldwide.
Particularly in India there is a practice of offering hair in some temples. Because of this, hair is easily available here. Raw material for wig trade goes from India itself.
In India, the head hair is most commonly donated in Tirupati temple. On an average, fifty thousand devotees come here every day to visit.
At least one third of them donate their hair here.
TTD earned Rs 131 crore from hair in the financial year 2020-21. The annual budget of TTD is about three thousand crore rupees.
According to official figures, in addition to the sale of tickets to TTD, Mundan also gets good income from the sale of hair.
TTD sells the most hair
Earlier, Mundan’s hair was sold at the auction held every month in Tirumala. The hair is taken from Tirumala to the store center of Tirupati. They are then auctioned according to hair color and length. Hair is divided into five categories. You get more money for long hair.
TTD had told in an official statement that in the year 2019, it earned Rs 74 crore from the sale of hair. In December 2019, 54,500 kg of hair were auctioned for Rs 37.26 crore. It is now learned that hair auctions are held only once in three months.
TTD has not provided information about the latest auction and terms of selling hair. The BBC contacted the officials of TTD several times to confirm this, but the officials said that information in this regard is not available with them.
TTD says that it does not come under its jurisdiction that where the hair purchasers sell or send hair in the auction.
In an official statement, TTD public relations officer T Ravi said, “TTD conducts auction of shaved hair once in three months through e-tenders. After receiving GST tax from the highest bidder, the hair is handed over to it. They go. Whether or not the hair buyer has a license to export hair or what he will do with these hair, it does not come under the jurisdiction of TTD. Mundan hair is sold in many other temples in India too. Similarly TTD Also sells hair with e-tender once every three months. “
What is the dispute?
The opposition Telugu Desam Party says that TTD officials should take the responsibility of capturing Mundan’s hair from the border of Myanmar. Speaking to the BBC, party leader Bandaru Satyanarayana Murthy said that necessary action should be taken by investigating this matter.
He said, “Why is there so much secrecy in TTD? TTD officials say that they have no role in this matter involving the sentiments of millions of devotees. This is shameful. Do the authorities not know about the organizations that bought the child?” Had they taken the contract? Do they not know what these people do to them by buying the child. Was the contract given without any thorough investigation? The committee of TTD administration should be canceled and action should be taken against the officials concerned. “
TTD has been mired in many controversies for the last two years. Now this new controversy over Mundan’s hair has increased the controversy further. TTD says that the buyer concerned in this case will be blacklisted.
TTD complaint
TTD initially said that once the contract has been awarded in the auction, they do not know where the hair is sold. But later TTD has said that if the names of smuggling companies are known, they will be blacklisted.
At the same time, claims are being made on social media that hair is smuggled through TTD. The Vigilance Department of Andhra Pradesh has also taken cognizance of complaints in this regard.
Tirupati Police has filed a case on the complaint of TTD. Police Officer B.V. Siva Prasad Reddy told the BBC that TTD has said in its complaint that the post being written against it on Facebook is bringing disrepute.
The police have registered a case against the TDP party. Apart from this, many people have also been nominated.
It has also been said in the complaint that such news has been aired in Andhra Jyoti channel too.
According to the police, Andhra Jyoti’s name has also been included in the FIR. Police says, “Only after investigation, it will be known who’s role in this case.”
The CPM leader and the leaders of the TTD Contract Employees Union say that the link between TTD’s income reduction and trafficking should be discovered.
One leader said, “There should be a detailed investigation into the illegal smuggling of Mundan’s hair. The TTD should have earned at least one thousand crores from the sale of hair. But the income has not increased since the last 12 years. Decreased Illegal smuggling of hair from income and TTD should be investigated. The government should announce a detailed investigation so that all the facts are revealed. “
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