Tirupati: The vigilance and security wing of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams has destroyed liquor seized from pilgrims. Possession, transaction and consumption of liquor is strictly banned at the Tirumala hill shrine.
The vigilance sleuths, along with the excise and prohibition officials, including special protection force personnel, destroyed 1.19 lakh ml of liquor near the Alipiri checkpoint. The liquor was poured out and the bottles smashed to pieces.
The month-wise breakup of the seized quantity of liquor was 32,990 ml in April, 35,850 ml in May, and 50,270 ml in June.
Though most of the devotees observe restraint, a minuscule percentage tries to flout the rules, despite being aware that alcohol is banned at Tirumala. Some devotees and staff habituated to smoking, chewing gutka and alcohol, try to sneak tobacco and liquor in, but the keen eyes of the vigilance staff at Alipiri checkpoint and regular frisking make it difficult.
The periodical act of smashing the bottles in the open is also meant to send a strong message to the visitors.
“Apart from those carrying liquor for personal consumption, there are regular offenders who try to sneak in these goods to sell them at Tirumala. We are very stern against this offence. We treat them as criminals and book cases against them unsparingly,” said TTD vigilance and security officer Hanumanthu.
Assistant superintendent Malla Reddy, Alipiri AVSO B. Kurma Rao, vigilance and SPF sleuths took part in the exercise on Monday.
