Liquor Bottle Dump in Tirumala: 2 Arrested

Tirupati: Tirupati district police on Wednesday arrested two persons in connection with the recovery of empty liquor bottles from bushes along the Outer Ring Road between the police guest house and Balajinagar at Tirumala.

The issue surfaced on January 4 after videos and posts circulated on social media claiming several empty liquor bottles were found near the police guest house. Acting on the reports, the Tirumala Two Town police registered a case and launched an investigation.

Police examined CCTV footage from the command control centre and nearby locations, analysed vehicle movements, FASTag records and other technical evidence. With assistance from the Excise Department, they traced the liquor outlets from which the bottles were originally purchased, based on markings found on them.

According to police, the investigation indicated that Allapaka Koti, a YSRC activist from Tirupati, allegedly planned the dumping of bottles with the intention of targeting the TTD and the police department. Old empty liquor bottles were allegedly brought from Tirupati and dumped in bushes on the Outer Ring Road in Tirumala.

Police said that after dumping the bottles, Koti passed on the information to another accused, Naveen, who in turn informed Mohan Krishna, a photographer working with a vernacular newspaper. Krishna is alleged to have arranged for videos of the site to be recorded and circulated on social media.

On Wednesday, police arrested Koti as the first accused and Krishna as the second accused. Two mobile phones allegedly used in the offence, a car and a laptop were seized. The mobile phones will be sent for forensic examination.

The third accused, Naveen, identified as a YSRC social media activist, is absconding. Police said special teams have been formed to trace him and further investigation is underway to identify the role of others allegedly involved.