3 held for stealing cash from Tirumala temple hundi

Tirupati:Tirumala police on Wednesday arrested three persons who were involved in stealing cash from the Hundi of the high security Tirumala temple. Acting on a complaint lodged by TTD Vigilance Inspector C Dayakar Reddy, on Wednesday morning, Tirumala 1 Town police arrested the three within 12 hours after the theft of the cash Rs 3,860 from the temple Hundi that took place on Tuesday midnight. Dayakar Reddy in his complaint said that the CCTV footage verification on Wednesday morning revealed that two persons were found taking away a bunch of currency, immediately after an unidentified devotee dropped it at the temple hundi.

The duo in a preplanned move stood on the other side of the Hundi waiting and swiftly took away the bunch of currency notes from the Hundi at about 12 midnight on Tuesday, when the pilgrims and staff were busy as the temple closure time neared. A case under Section-379 of IPC was registered at Tirumala 1 Town police station. According to Tirumala police, the duo Seenu and Santhosh as planned, after darshan stood at the temple hundi while another person Chanti was waiting for them outside the shrine. After stealing the cash, the two coolly came out and handed over the cash to Chanti and dispersed, police said adding that the entire stolen cash of Rs 3,860 was recovered from them.

Tirumala 1 Town police said the three were arrested near a school when they were planning another crime. The trio were identified as Sunnapu Seenu of Chandragiri, Santhosh of Bakarapet and Chanti of Tirupati and all of them have previously involved in several crimes including theft in Tirumala temple Hundi, arrested, underwent imprisonment and came out of prison after the jail term. Seenu was involved in three theft cases registered at Tirumala 1 PS, Tirumala Crime Station 2 cases, and in a murder case registered in Alipiri police station and was convicted in some of the cases and released from jail.

Tirumala police also opened a `suspect sheet' against him. Santhosh was also involved in many cases including six cases registered in Tirumala crime police station, one in Tirumala 1 town PS, convicted and returned after completion of his prison term. While Chanti was also involved in the murder cases booked in Alipiri police station and came out from jail. Following the incident, the security was tightened in the shrine particularly at the area surrounding the Hundi where the devotees after darshan offer cash and other items as Kanuka to Lord as fulfillment of their vows.