Tirumala residents to celebrate Diwali with fire crackers

Tirumala, Nov 3 (UNI) Balaji Colony residents in Tirumala would celebrate 'Deepavali' by bursting fire crackers after a long time with the approval of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD).

Official sources said here today, the crackers were prohibited at Tirumala temple, since 2003, following the landmine attack on former Chief Minister and the Telegu Desam Party(TDP) supremo, N Chandrababu Naidu.

However, based on the request by the residents concerned, the TTD authorities gave a 'conditional approval' and asked them to burst low-sounded crackers, without affecting the security at the Tirumala hills.

Recently, the Youth Congress had taken out a rally from Alipiri to Tirumala hills and bursted crackers, which became controversial in the political circles. The Congress, TDP and BJP workers traded allegations against each other. They were subsequently arrested, sources added.

UNI