TIRUPATI: With the recent attack on an NRI couple on the Alipiri footpath route, the TTD vigilance and security wing had decided to increase foot patrolling on the route to provide more security to the visiting pilgrims.
An unknown person, said to be a psycho, attacked and injured NRI couple from Singapore, who were trekking the pilgrim route near at Akkagarla temple in the wee hours of June 18. According to officials, they could not track down the accused till now, though some suspects were picked up by them.The victim identified one of her attackers. But our investigation ruled out the involvement of the suspect and the case is yet to be solved the official said. The attack on June 18 was the third in a series of attacks on the Alipiri footpath route in this year. After the first attack, the police and TTD vigilance sleuths nabbed a psycho and sent him to judicial remand. Meanwhile, after the attack, the vigilance officials have decided to intensify foot patrolling in the footpath route.
The footpath route is divided into four sectors and two security guards would be posted for each patrol in each sector. The patrolling is taken up on three shifts. “While one guard climbs up keeping an eye on suspicious person, the other climbs down in a shift. In the four sectors, eight guards patrol the route in a shift. Totally, 24 guards will be patrolling the route on a given day. The vigilance wing hires Gurkhas as they are agile and have the stamina to trek hills for longer periods,” TTD Chief Vigilance Officer G Srinivas said.