Temple worker held for black marketing Tirumala darshan ticket

TIRUPATI: An employee working on outsourcing basis at Lord Varasiddhi Vinayaka Swamy Temple in Kanipakam has been taken into custody for allegedly selling Supatham special entry darshan tickets of Tirumala temple to some private parties at a higher price.

Giving details of the case to reporters on Sunday, ASP D. Muni Ramaiah said Karunakar (35), working as a gas technician at Kanipakam temple, had sold 12 Supatham tickets, each worth ₹300, to a group of devotes from Chintamani of Karnataka for ₹32,000.

The ASP said they received a complaint from TTD vigilance and security wing on Friday against Karunakar saying he had misused the recommendation letter of Kanipakam Devasthanams AEO Madhav Reddy and obtained 12 darshan tickets.

“During the course of investigation, we found that Karunakar had collected ₹32,000 from the devotee group saying the tickets are for the most-sought-after Arjitha seva at Tirumala temple. But the group realised only later that he had actually given them Supatham tickets. Group members approached the TTD vigilance wing and lodged a complaint against Karunakar,” Muni Ramaiah said.

Following the complaint, Tirumala II Town police registered a cheating case and nabbed the accused. Police also questioned Kanipakam AEO Madhav Reddy, who had issued the recommendation letter to Karunakar, the ASP said.