Jaipur: City police have deployed Artificial Intelligence-enabled cameras and analytics to monitor crowds and track suspected thieves at a Shiv Mahapuran Katha in Mansarovar where nearly 50,000 devotees are expected daily. Deputy commissioner of police (South) Rajarshi Raj Varma said the system, installed across the venue’s domes and entry points, provides real-time headcounts and movement tracking, helping officers prevent overcrowding and respond instantly to potential risks. “These special cameras are deployed under each dome. We keep a live headcount, and the moment capacity is breached, an alert is issued,” Varma said. He said it allows police to manage crowd flow scientifically and minimise the risk of any stampede-like situation. Behind the scenes, the system does more than just counting heads. The software flags unusual movement patterns, loitering near dense clusters, repeated entry-exit behaviour, or coordinated movement in groups, patterns often linked to pickpocketing gangs. Police said such gangs have historically used large religious gatherings to blend into crowds and steal mobile phones, purses, and gold chains before slipping away unnoticed. “We observed that organised groups would infiltrate such events and decamp with valuables. This time, we decided to stay a step ahead,” Varma said. During the ongoing Katha, the AI system and a team of police in civil clothes helped police detain multiple suspects on Friday. “We have busted gangs and detained several persons involved in stealing valuables from visitors,” Varma said. Varma said that the gang involved in mobile phone and chain thefts was recently busted after being flagged through this surveillance network. Feeds from the cameras are monitored at a central control room, where teams analyse alerts and relay instructions to ground personnel stationed across the venue. The system also helps in dispersing crowd pressure by guiding devotees towards less congested zones.
