Tirumala, August 12, 2013: Three TTD staffers were taken into custody by the vigilance sleuths here on Saturday for allegedly trying to sell darshan tickets at exorbitant rates in the black market.

According to the Vigilance authorities, Veeraswamy working as a junior assistant at the second Vaikuntam queue complex was taken into custody for illegally permitting over 15 devotees on the unlawfully acquired access cards. Even though it is a free entry for the devotees, the accused taking advantage of the crowd, reportedly collected Rs.3, 000 from a party.

In a similar incident, Chandrasekhar working as a home guard was detained for allowing five pilgrims illegitimately into the Rs. 300 darshan lines after taking money. Siddaiah a contract labourer with the TTD was also held for indulging in similar crime.

Meanwhile, the sleuths also took an imposter Ramesh, native of Tirupati, into custody who claimed himself as a reporter associated with a news daily for trying to facilitate unauthorised entry of the pilgrims into the darshan lines for a hefty sum.

Source: The Hindu, DT. August 12, 2013.