Watch: Security men in Tirupati bash a devotee for allegedly carrying gutka

A video showing security personnel in Tirupati assaulting a devotee, for allegedly breaking the norms, has been fetching attention on social media. The incident took place at the Alipiri check-post on Thursday when the devotee, identified as Dilli Babu from Tamil Nadu, was travelling to Tirumala in an APSRTC bus and was reportedly carrying a few packets of gutka.

With gutka and alcohol strictly banned in Tirumala, the security personnel, belonging to the Special Protection Force (SPF), seized the gutka and threw the packets into a bin. However, things turned ugly when Dilli Babu opposed the guards and tried to pick one of the packets from the bin. Annoyed by his action, the security men dragged Babu and started thrashing him.

A few policemen too joined the security men in beating Dilli Babu. The personnel continued to thrash the devotee despite his family members pleading the sleuths to stop. The entire incident was recorded on camera by a bystander, who was reportedly attacked too.

The incident has been noted by the TTD (Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams) officials, who have reportedly initiated an internal probe. “The high-handedness of the security sleuths should be condemned. They do not have any right to punish the devotees, though they violate the rules. We will take stringent action against the guilty in the incident,”  Assistant Vigilance and Security Officer (AV&SO) A Surendra was quoted as saying.