Three held for posting provocative messages on social media

Three people were arrested on Friday at Tirumala, where the Lord Venkateswara shrine in located, for allegedly posting provocative messages on social media, hurting sentiments of visiting devotees,police said.

Mobile phones and other materials were also seized from the arrested men, who are in their twenties, Superintendent of Police KKN Anburajan here said.

While one of the arrested is from Guntur in Andhra Pradesh, the other two are from Hyderabad,he said.

On August 31, a picture of a forest watchtower with a pole meant for camera atop it on a hill close to Tirumala was circulated with inflammatory messages on social media, police said.

The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams that administers the Lord Venkateswara temple lodged a complaint.

Four special teams were pressed into service to track those involved, the officer said.