TIRUMALA: BJP Rajya Sabha MP from Tamil Nadu Sasikala Pushpa has alleged that the Vigilance and Security staff at the Alipiri tollgate behaved in a high-handed manner with her and her family members when they were proceeding to Tirumala late on Sunday night.
She reportedly lodged a complaint with the DGPs of both Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh alleging violation of protocol and also misbehaviour by the vigilance staff.
According to officials, the MP along with her husband, children and official staff, reached Alipiri tollgate around 11.45 pm in three cars on Saturday. The three vehicles were piloted by a local police vehicle from Puttur and it crossed the toll gate while the remaining three cars were stopped at Alipiri by the staff.
Without allowing them to move ahead, the vigilance staff checked their vehicles and later made the luggage pass through the scanner even as the MP tried to tell the staff that she, as per the protocol, has right to move ahead without being stopped. This led to a minor argument with the staff, who allowed the vehicles to move after checks.
As the cars started to move, the vigilance staff once again stopped them by beating the rear window panes of the last vehicle. When the vehicles stopped, they demanded removal of the MP stickers on the vehicles.
The MP and her husband reportedly tried to explain that it was not a party sticker but an official one, which once again led to arguments during which the vigilance staff made harsh remarks against the MP’s husband. When he tried to record the same on his mobile phone, they snatched it. When Sasikala Pushpa tried to take the mobile phone, they did not give it and in the melee, she suffered minor scratches on her hands.
When they moved 2 more km, another team of policemen came and stopped the convoy and after arguments they were allowed to proceed .
The MP on Sunday lodged a complaint with the DGPs of AP and Tamil Nadu. With this, the Tirumala police officials rushed to meet the MP in the morning, but she refused to meet them.When contacted, TTD VGO Manohar tried to dismiss it as a minor incident.
Sasikala Pushpa files complaint with AP, TN DGPs
Sasikala Pushpa reportedly lodged a complaint with the DGPs of both Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh alleging violation of protocol and also misbehaviour by the vigilance staff