TIRUPATI: TTD vigilance sleuths seized a 9mm P.A.K. pistol (a non-lethal gas pistol) and 46 bullets from a pilgrim from Coimbatore at Alipiri check post on Thursday. Addressing the media, TTD Vigilance and Security Officer E Ashok Kumar Goud said that their guards had found the firearm in a pilgrim’s bag. “The gun holder was identified as R Deepak Vigneshwar, who came along with his family on a pilgrimage to Tirumala. The pilgrim and the seized pistol are being handed over to Tirumala Two Town police for further investigation,” he said.
Meanwhile, the gun holder’s family said that they were unaware of the restrictions being imposed here on carrying firearms and there was no proper signboards mentioning the list of prohibited items at Tirumala. “We have explained to the TTD officials that this pistol was a dummy one and it was used as a toy,” a family member said.