Three police constables in an inebriated mood run riot in Tirumala; suspended

In a shocking breach of discipline and public trust, three Andhra Pradesh Special Police (APSP) constables — B. Rajasekhar, K. Omkar Naik, and Sheik Sirajuddin — on Friday stormed into the sacred temple town of Tirumala in a drunken frenzy, where alcohol is strictly prohibited.

The trio, reportedly tasked with getting a police vehicle of their senior officer repaired went down to Tirupati and landed into disgrace after consuming alcohol and driving recklessly on the ghat road while motoring up to the town. Their dangerous joyride included ramming into other vehicles and culminating in a crash into a culvert in Tirumala’s D-Type quarters area that resulted in bursting of a tyre.

In a glaring lapse of protocol, security at the Alipiri checkpoint failed to inspect the vehicle due to its police markings — a negligence that allowed the drunken constables to reach the town unchecked. They also hurled abuses and behaved menacingly vitiating the temple atmosphere.

While Sirajuddin fled the scene, the remaining two were apprehended by traffic police and subjected to a breathalyzer test, in which they had registered a staggering 300 points, well above permissible limits.

While the traffic police registered a case against them, APSP Commandant Deepika Patil suspended all the three. The trio belonged to the Kurnool Second Battalion.

The incident drew severe criticism from political and religious circles.

Former TTD Chairman and YSRCP leader B. Karunakar Reddy lambasted the authorities on social media platform X, condemning the state’s silence over repeated violations and happenings atop the temple town that offended religious sentiments.

He also accused the government of prioritizing political vendettas over the preservation of Tirumala’s sanctity.

Published - May 24, 2025 03:02 pm IST