Tirumala/Tirupati: Unprecedented security curbs imposed by security agencies at Tirumala and Tirupati due to the pilgrimage of Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa on Tuesday, caused extreme inconvenience to the locals as well as the visiting devotees. Much ahead of the scheduled time Rajapaksa’s convoy was to pass through the Alipiri tollgate, officials had sealed the tollgate leaving the devotees and locals stranded there for hours Monday evening.
As expected, hundreds of members of TN parties such as the MDMK and some activists were taken into custody by the Chittoor and Tirupati police when they tried to obstruct Rajapaksa’s convoy.
Locals and pilgrims were upset that the TTD went out of its way to host Rajapaksa and even cancelled the Seva to them while reserving the first darshan of the Lord for Rajapaksa and family. Even the 'Angapradakshanam' vows of the Lord’s has been suspended at the Tirumala temple on Wednesday. Shops and establishments in shopping complex, old annadanam, HT complex and other areas along the VVIP route were directed by the local cops to remain closed from 10 pm on Tuesday to 6 am in the morning on Wednesday even though the temple operates 24x7 round the year.
