The Tirumala police on Friday registered a case against a constable belonging to the Indo Tibetan Border Force (ITBF) for selling darshan tickets for Tirumala temple at highly inflated rates.
The accused identified as Chandrasekhar reportedly exploited the recommendation letters of Araku MLA and MLC Shivaramireddy in securing the tickets.
According to One Town Circle Inspector Ramudu, the constable charged ₹20,000 for four tickets obtained under the MLA’s recommendation and a staggering ₹50,000 for six tickets issued under the MLC’s quota. The tickets were sold to two different pilgrim parties from Bengaluru, capitalising on the overwhelming demand for darshan slots at the hill temple.
The irregularities came to light when the overcharged devotees, feeling aggrieved, approached the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) Vigilance Department.
Acting on their complaint, the Vigilance officials launched an inquiry and subsequently filed a formal complaint with the police, leading to a case being registered against the accused constable.
Published – December 20, 2024 08:50 pm IST