Srinagar: In order to strengthen the security grid, high-resolution cameras with facial recognition technology (FRT) are likely to be installed in the summer capital soon.
A proposal in this regard has been moved while the need for this technology has been felt after recent spate of militancy-related incidents in the city, official sources said. They said currently about 300 cameras have been installed across the city to monitor the movement.
“There is a proposal of installing FRT in the city,” a senior police officer told Greater Kashmir. “After installation in the city, FRT will likely be installed in other district headquarters,” the officer said.
“A facial recognition system uses biometrics to map facial features from a photograph or video,” the officer said. “It compares the information with a database of known faces to find a match. Facial recognition can help verify a person’s identity.”
The officer said this technology can “help in preempting and preventing attacks in the future”. “In case a known over-ground worker steps out, the police personnel in control will be alerted once the name of the suspect emerges from the database,” the officer said, adding the movement of the person under surveillance will be tracked and recorded.
Presently, besides human intelligence, CCTV cameras and drones are being used as security measures. The mobile bunkers of different security agencies operating in Srinagar are fitted with high-resolution cameras. These bunkers remain stationed at different locations in the city for the entire day.
In the aftermath of the recent attacks, police escalated the stop-and-frisk operations across the city. Police and CRPF have set up checkpoints in Srinagar at various places, following intelligence inputs that militants might try to stage another attack on security forces in the city and have been asked to remain vigilant across Kashmir.
Security forces are also conducting random frisking at various places in the city to nab inimical elements.
Security bunkers manned by the central armed paramilitary forces (CAPF) have been set up in many areas of Srinagar where these were removed between 2011 and 2014 following the overall improvement in the security situation across Kashmir.
Officials say that constructing new bunkers and putting more personnel on the ground is being done to cut the free movement of militants.