Rath Yatra in Odisha: How facial recognition software helped police

More than 90 snatchers have been arrested in the pilgrim town of Puri in Odisha, thanks to a facial recognition software and police training in analysing crowd behaviour during the annual Rath Yatra this year.

The arrests were carried out by a specialised team formed by the police, who also returned to the owners 60 mobile phones stolen by the professional criminals.

In recent years, facial recognition and artificial intelligence are becoming key law enforcement tools for monitoring large gatherings.

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“Four facial recognition cameras were installed at strategic locations for the first time in Odisha, and we sent data of 300 anti-social elements to SCRB (State Crime records Bureau) for uploading,” Puri Superintendent of Police Kanwar Vishal Singh said.

Crime season

Taking advantage of the presence of a large number of devotees, pickpockets as well as chain and mobile snatchers were on the prowl targeting unsuspecting pilgrims.

Some of the victims were pulling the chariots of Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra during the nine-day sojourn to Gundicha temple from the Jagannath temple.

Vishal Singh told PTI that an 11-member police team was formed, with each group, having four to six personnel, fanning out to vulnerable areas.

“The teams were trained to observe and analyse the behavioural aspects of people during crowd movement.

“The members were deployed in plain clothes. Our primary concern was the safety and security of pilgrims. The elderly and women are most vulnerable and are soft targets for the snatchers,” the officer said.

Ninety-two snatchers, including 41 from Odisha and 23 from West Bengal, were arrested till June 30, he said.

The rest hailed from Andhra Pradesh (9), Bihar (8), Uttar Pradesh (5), Chhattisgarh (4) and Jharkhand and Madhya Pradesh (1 each)

Police action

The police were tipped off that interstate gangs had arrived in Puri in the garb of devotees to steal mobile phones.

“We have been receiving multiple complaints of chain snatching from the devotees during the rush hour on Saturdays, Sundays and Ekadashi,” the officer said.

Also, 17 CCTVs were installed inside the temple.

“Police personnel identified four to five potential suspects after examining the footage. The next time the same person reached the temple he was apprehended,” Vishal Singh said.

The anti-snatching unit was then deployed at Bada Danda or Grand Road in Puri for the first time during Rath Yatra this year.

According to the police, the maximum incidents of snatching happen around Marchikut Chak, Market Chak, Medical Square and Badasankha areas as easy escape routes are available.

The police will courier the stolen items including mobile phones to the pilgrims from other states and abroad in a few days, the officer said. As many as 117 phones were seized.

Thousands of devotees had congregated at the seaside town of Puri for the Rath Yatra.

(With agency inputs)