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RPF’s high-tech servers keeping Prayagraj Jn safe from offenders

The RPF uses advanced facial recognition technology to monitor over 1,000 offenders at Prayagraj railway stations during the ongoing Magh Mela.

Updated on: Jan 18, 2026, 17:30:43 IST
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Equipped with facial recognition technology, the state-of-the-art Security Management System is aiding Railway Protection Force (RPF) to keep a watch on the movement of history-sheeters at railway stations in Prayagraj, where Magh Mela is underway on the Sangam banks.

The RPF control room in Prayagraj
The RPF control room in Prayagraj

As such, they are keeping a watchful eye on over 1,000 offenders, officials said, adding 200 of them were named as accused in offences at railways stations and on trains. Among the 200, 40 were arrested for suspicious activities on trains and at railway stations during the Mahakumbh last year. The officials said that the GRP (Government Railway Police) personnel at Prayagraj Jn had recently uploaded the complete records of these 40 individuals on the high-tech servers of the RPF at Prayagraj Junction.

The servers store details such as photograph, age, complexion, height, and criminal history, which can be accessed from the RPF’s control room here.

While all 40 individuals have been warned against reentering the station premises, any attempt by them to do so would trigger an alert at the RPF control room at Prayagraj Jn, they explained.

Amit Singh, PRO of Prayagraj division of North Central Railway (NCR) said the move was part of a broader security strategy adopted for large-scale religious gatherings in Prayagraj, where footfall ran into millions. “Special coordination meetings are being held regularly between the GRP, RPF, local police, and intelligence agencies to review security arrangements and share real-time inputs,” the official noted.

PHOTO: RPF control room (HT)

 
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
K Sandeep Kumar

K. Sandeep Kumar is Senior Assistant Editor and Bureau Head of Hindustan Times in Prayagraj, where he leads the newspaper's editorial coverage across the region. With more than 25 years of experience in journalism, he has built a reputation for credible, in-depth and impact-driven reporting on Uttar Pradesh's governance, politics, education, agriculture, science and technology, defence, infrastructure and development. Over the course of his career, Sandeep has consistently broken and tracked stories that have shaped public discourse, with a particular focus on policy, public institutions and issues that directly affect people's lives. His reporting combines rigorous fieldwork with data-backed analysis, making complex subjects accessible to a wide readership. He has also written extensively on human-interest stories that spotlight resilience, innovation and social change across urban and rural Uttar Pradesh. As Prayagraj Bureau Head, he mentors reporters, drives editorial planning and ensures comprehensive coverage of one of India's most politically and culturally significant regions. His work is marked by accuracy, balance and context, reflecting a commitment to public-interest journalism and high editorial standards. Through his reporting, Sandeep continues to chronicle the evolving social, economic and political landscape of Uttar Pradesh while delivering insightful and reliable journalism for Hindustan Times readers.

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