Tirumala Police Surveillance Helps Trace Missing Persons
The details recorded during the geo-tagging help the police establish the identity of a child: Tirupati district SP L. Subba Rayudu
TIRUPATI: What began as a safety measure by the Tirupati district police to prevent children and elderly devotees from getting separated from their families during the Brahmotsavams at Tirumala is also helping it trace people missing from their homes for weeks and months.
In the past few days, police traced three persons missing from Tamil Nadu, Anakapalli and Chirala and reunited them with their families. One had been missing since November last year, while the other two had been away from home for about a month and 15 days respectively.
The police have geo-tagged 48,005 children since September 15 to prevent them from getting separated from their parents in the heavy crowds. The initiative has helped trace four girls and an elderly woman missing at Tirumala and reunite them with their families.
Tirupati district SP L. Subba Rayudu said the details recorded during the geo-tagging help the police establish the identity of a child found separated from family members and contact their parents or guardians. “Our personnel at crowded locations can use the tag details to facilitate the child’s quick reunion with the family," he said.
The three adults were traced through surveillance and verification.
The police deployed at Tirumala questioned persons found moving around suspiciously or were unable to clearly explain their presence and referred them for further verification at the police station.
In the case of the TN native, police found that he had left home in November 2025 without informing his family. Cops contacted their TN counterparts and confirmed that a missing case had been registered at Neelankarai police station in Chennai. His wife was informed and he was subsequently handed over to her.
A businessman who had been missing for about a month was similarly identified and handed over to his son after police verified his details with the Anakapalli police. A 61-year-old man from Chirala, who had left home about 15 days earlier following a family dispute, was also traced in Tirumala and reunited with his son.
Rayudu said the heightened surveillance during the Brahmotsavams was helping the police identify people separated from their families and verify their details in coordination with police in their respective areas.
"We are keeping a close watch over the trekking routes, mada streets, galleries, bus stations and other areas. CCTV cameras, drones and the command and control system are being used to monitor crowds and respond to missing person cases", he said.
