TIRUPATI: Security officials from the TTD face difficulties since facial recognition cameras at the final check point before the temple are sending wrong alarms to them.
Photographs of around 500 pickpocketers and thieves have been recorded to identify them if and when they enter the temple through queue lines. The cameras, however, seem to be unable to match the identities of persons or the list of uploaded pictures and making wrong alarm to the security sleuths causing inconvince to innocent.
With as much as 50 to 60 per cent of the alarms proving to be false reporting officials manning the vigilance and security wing tend to lose concentration on the alarms. It is this indifference that could help thieves to show their pickpocketing skills by joining the devotees.
Lack of CCTV cameras in the compartments of Vaikuntam Queue Complex is bothering the devotees, many of whom keep loosing their wallets and valuables. The long wait in the compartments helps culprits to do their job without any hurry.
While the TTD Chairman Mr Putta Sudhakar Yadav was inspecting the compartments in Vaikuntam Queue Complex, about four devotees approached him to complain that they have lost their wallets. Mr Yadav instructed the vigilance and security wing to immediately put up the CCTV cameras in the compartments.
Speaking to DC, Incharge CV&SO T.V. Shiva Kumar Reddy said, "Devotees complained of pickpocketing. We are installing the first phase of CCTV cameras in and around the temple. In the second phase, we will put them up in the compartments too. The facial recognition cameras are giving wrong alarms most of the times. This has been causing inconvenience to other devotees and we are unable to follow the wrong alarms. We are keeping an eye on the suspected persons. Anyhow the pickpocketings are not that alarming but we will try to eradicate all pickpocketing gangs or members from Tirumala".
