Delhi Police Deploy Abhigyan App and Facial Recognition at Red Fort for August 15
Ahead of the August 15 Independence Day celebrations, the Delhi Police have placed the Red Fort under a multi-layered security cover featuring advanced surveillance technologies, including the Abhigyan application and facial recognition system (FRS) vans, to screen the crowd and identify suspicious or wanted individuals.
Around 15,000 to 20,000 Delhi Police and paramilitary personnel are expected to be deployed for the national event. Security arrangements have been strengthened amid intelligence inputs, as nearly 25,000 people, including VIPs and VVIPs, are expected to attend the function at the monument.
For the first time as part of the enhanced security measures, police are extensively using the Abhigyan application, which contains a database of more than one crore criminals. Police personnel using handheld devices are collecting fingerprints from randomly selected individuals in the crowd. A red indication on the screen alerts officers that a person has a criminal record and displays their details, while a green indication confirms no record was found.
Nearly 1,000 CCTV cameras, including FRS-enabled units, have been installed to monitor the Red Fort and surrounding areas. A high-tech control room established inside the monument is monitored round the clock by police and technical teams. Mobile FRS vans equipped with high-resolution cameras are also scanning faces in real time and sending instant alerts to the control room whenever a match is detected.
The surveillance network covers an area stretching several kilometres outside the Red Fort. Snipers have been positioned at strategic locations, including elevated platforms, while anti-drone systems are active to prevent unauthorized aerial activity. As part of security restrictions, kite flying around the monument has been prohibited on August 15.
A senior officer from the North district Computer Cell noted that the Abhigyan app and FRS technology have significantly assisted police in identifying suspicious persons in crowded areas. The security measures are being implemented under the Ministry of Home Affairs' smart policing initiative for this year's event, which features the theme 'Vande Mataram'.
