Kanipakam temple employee arrested for black marketing in Tirumala darshan tickets

TIRUPATI: A contract employee at the Lord Varasiddhi Vinayaka Swamy temple in Kanipakam has been taken into custody for allegedly selling the Supatham special entry darshan tickets of the Tirumala temple to devotees at a higher price.

Police said Karunakar (35), working as a gas technician, sold 12 Supatham entry and darshan tickets, each worth Rs 300, for Rs 32,000 to a group of devotees from Chintamani of Karnataka.

The police received a complaint from the TTD vigilance and security wing on Friday. “Karunakar misused the recommendation letter of Kanipakam Devasthanams AEO Madhav Reddy and obtained 12 darshan tickets. Following a complaint, the police launched an investigation.

“Karunakar collected Rs 32,000 from the devotee group by saying he would get them the most-sought-after arjitha seva tickets at the Tirumala temple. He cheated the devotees by giving them Supatham darshan tickets. After realising that they were duped, the devotee group approached the TTD vigilance wing and lodged a complaint”, police said.

The Tirumala II town police registered a cheating case and arrested the accused. The police team from Tirumala also went to Kanipakam to question the AEO, Madhav Reddy, who issued the recommendation letter to Karunakar.