Explore Business Standard
Tirupati
Mock drills were carried out at Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SHAR) in Sriharikota and Tirupati Airport in Andhra Pradesh on Saturday, in view of the India-Pakistan military conflict. From 9:30 am to 11:30 am, multiple security teams undertook the mock drill at SHAR, an ISRO rocket-launching facility in Andhra Pradesh. The exercise was aimed at evaluating the preparedness, coordination, and response time of security forces in the event of a potential threat, said an official press release. Under the supervision of CISF DIG Sanjay Kumar, various security and emergency units such as the CISF Quick Response Team (70 personnel), CISF Bomb Disposal Team, CISF Fire Department, and medical staff participated in the drill. A three-member Intelligence Bureau (IB) team, two-member marine police team and local police also partook in the drill, which demonstrated effective communication and swift action for the success of the exercise. Similarly, a comprehensive mock drill was conducted at Tiru
A special investigation team led by the CBI has arrested four people in connection with the alleged adulteration of the famous Tirupati laddus offered as prasad to devotees at Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple, officials said. Those arrested have been identified as Vipin Jain, Pomil Jain, Apoorva Chawda and Raju Rajasekharan, they said. On the orders of the Supreme Court, the CBI set up a five-member SIT in November last year to investigate the allegations of the use of animal fat in making Tirupati laddus. The team comprised two officers from the central agency, two from Andhra Pradesh Police and one from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), they said. In its October 4 order, the apex court, after hearing the petitions by BJP leader Subramaniya Swamy and YSRCP Rajya Sabha MP YV Subba Reddy, among others, said the probe into the allegation of using animal fat in making the laddu would be conducted by the SIT and will be supervised by the CBI director. Andhra Prade
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Thursday said he would order a judicial inquiry into the stampede incident that left six people dead and dozens injured, besides transferring three senior officials including the district Superintendent of Police. Addressing a press conference, Naidu said he has ordered suspension of two officials, including a DSP, for their dereliction. He further said he noticed some loopholes or leakages in the administration and monitoring mechanisms in Tirupati which should have been 'perfect'. Expressing grief over the incident, Naidu said he is announcing Rs 25 lakh ex gratia to the kin of the deceased and Rs 2 lakh to those injured. According to him, a new system of issuing tokens was introduced by the previous regime in Tirupati as opposed to the earlier system of giving them in Tirumala hills. Six devotees died and nearly 40 more were injured in the stampede at Bairagi Patteda near MGM School in Tirupati on Wednesday night as hundreds
Senior YSRCP leader and former Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) chairman B Karunakar Reddy on Thursday demanded that Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu should own moral responsibility for the Tirupati stampede and initiate stringent action against the officials responsible. The Congress' state unit held the TTD that governs the Lord Venkatswara temple, responsible for the tragedy and called for immediate probe into the incident. Six devotees died and nearly 40 more were injured in a stampede at Bairagi Patteda near MGM School in Tirupati on Wednesday night as hundreds of them jostled for tickets for Vaikunta Dwara Darshanam at Lord Venkateswara Swamy temple on Tirumala Hills. Scores of devotees turned up from across the country for the 10-day Vaikunta Dwara Darshanam commencing from January 10. "The EO (executive officer), SP (superintendent of police) and his subordinates, besides the vigilance wing of the TTD, should be held responsible and action should be taken against them
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu will leave for Tirupati on Thursday to visit those injured in a stampede, sources said. Six devotees died and over 40 were injured in the stampede on Wednesday night as hundreds of them jostled for tickets for Vaikunta Dwara Darshanam at Lord Venkateswara Swamy temple on Tirumala Hills. Naidu will be visiting SVR Ruia Government General Hospital and SVIMS Hospital between noon and 3 pm, where the injured are being treated, sources said. The CM will also conduct a review meeting with the Executive Officer and others over the incident. Tirupati district collector S Venkateswar on Wednesday told reporters that out of the six deceased devotees, five were women and a man. One deceased person came from Salem in Tamil Nadu and another from Narsipatnam in Andhra Pradesh, he said. According to the collector, the incident occurred at Bairagi Patteda near MGM School in the temple town. Hundreds of devotees turned up from across the country
Devotees visiting Lord Venkateswara temple on Tirumala hills are complementing that the quality of laddu prasadam (consecrated sweet) has improved and it should continue that way, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu said on Saturday. Naidu, who held a review meeting with senior officials of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), the custodian of Venkateswara Swamy temple, also asked them to make sure only the best quality ingredients go into making prasadams (sacred offerings ), an official release from the temple authorities said. The CM's remarks came amid recent allegations of the CM and TTD Executive Officer that adulterated ghee was used in making laddu prasadam during the previous YSR Congress regime, a charge rubbished by former Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy. He further said VIP culture should be reduced in Tirumala and there should be no hustle and bustle when celebrities visit the temple. The decoration at the temple should be simple and spiritual with no hype and ...