Rahul Gandhi treks 10 km-long steep stairway Tirumala hills, prays at Lord Balaji temple
Tirupati(AP), Feb 22: Congress President Rahul Gandhi Friday offered prayers at the famous hill shrine of Lord Venkateswara at Tirumala near here.
On his arrival at the temple main entrance, Gandhi was accorded a warm welcome by the hill temple management.
After quickly trekking the nearly 10 km-long steep stairway leading to the ancient hill shrine, the Congress chief paid obeisance to the presiding deity of Lord Venkateswara, a temple official told PTI.
It took about two hours for Gandhi to reach the sacred hills, the official said.
After his spiritual trek from the foot of the hill at Alipiri in Tirupati in the afternoon, the Congress president made a brief halt at a heavily guarded Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams guest house on the hill and later visited the shrine, the official said.
After prayers, Gandhi was offered sacred silk cloth, prasadam, and a holy memento, the temple official said.
He was in the temple for about 20 minutes.
Tight security arrangements were put in place on the hills and all through the route leading to the hill shrine.
Later, Rahul Gandhi left the hills to address a rally at Sri Venkateswara University Stadium here.
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Two held at Bengaluru airport with hydroponic ganja worth Rs 5.79 cr
Bengaluru (PTI): Two people were arrested at the Kempegowda International Airport here for attempting to smuggle hydroponic ganja valued at Rs 5.79 crore, upon their arrival from Bangkok on Wednesday, officials said
They seized 16.54 kg of hydroponic ganja, which was concealed in the checked-in baggage, the Bengaluru Customs said in a post on 'X'.
Both the accused were arrested under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, it said.
Meanwhile, the Customs officials at the Bengaluru Airport also disposed of 287.5 kg of Ganja (Hydroponic Weed) and 1.17 kg of Cocaine seized under the NDPS Act, 1985, in accordance with CBIC (Central Board of Indirect Taxes & Customs) Disposal Manual on March 17, it said in another post.
