Thu Feb 20 06:40:00 UTC 2025: **Conman Arrested for Defrauding Pilgrims Seeking Tirumala Darshan**
**Chittoor, Andhra Pradesh:** Chittoor police apprehended a conman, identified as Panja Ramana Prasad (29), near Madhavadhara East Park on Wednesday. Prasad had allegedly defrauded numerous individuals by promising them break darshan and special entry tickets to the Tirumala temple online. He collected lakhs of rupees from victims.
According to Kancharapalem police, complaints were filed against Prasad in 2021 and 2022 after he was found to be operating an illegal online booking service for Tirumala temple visits. Despite an initial case being registered in 2021 by Tirupati vigilance officials, he continued his fraudulent activities leading to a second case in 2022. He evaded arrest until Wednesday.
Police tracked Prasad down to Visakhapatnam and, with the assistance of Kancharapalem police, apprehended him. The arresting officers, including Blue Coat Constable Narayan and Kancharapalem CI Ravi Kumar, were commended for their role in the investigation. Prasad, a native of Bhimavaram in West Godavari district, is currently in police custody and will be transferred to Tirupati for further proceedings.
First Piper 