Offenders cannot escape ‘ASC Arjun’ surveillance
Visakhapatnam: The rail robocop ‘ASC Arjun’ garners appreciation from various quarters while it’s on duty.
Deployed for surveillance and patrolling, ASC Arjun not only detected two suspects at Visakhapatnam railway station, matching their facial recognition with the preloaded data base of criminals, but also alerted the Railway Protection Force (RPF). Soon after Arjun detected two suspects, he alerted the RPF CCTV control room in Visakhapatnam with immediate effect.
Upon receiving the alert, the CCTV staff head constable BS Narayana analysed the live feed and promptly informed the Sub Inspector V.Keerthi Reddy along with the Crime Prevention Detention Squad (CPDS) team of Waltair Division.
The team conducted a coordinated check and apprehended a habitual offender, Hadapa Shiva (39) and his associate G Bhangaru. Both failed to produce any valid journey tickets and were brought to the RPF for further action.
Further interrogation and verification indicated that both of them are offenders with criminal history registered at Rayagada police station, involving multiple serious offences such as theft, robbery, dacoity, assault, and arms-related cases for over several years.
The apprehension was later informed to GRP Visakhapatnam, and further joint interrogation was conducted by RPF, GRP and their teams. After detailed enquiry, it was concluded that the suspects had entered the station area without valid authority and were detected at the entry stage itself by the AI-enabled Facial Recognition System of Rail Robocop.
As both offenders were found travelling without tickets, they were dealt with under the provisions of the Indian Railways Act, 1989 (Amended 2003).
The matter was also intimated to Rayagada police for further action. Appreciating the good work of ASC Arjun, Divisional Railway Manager Lalit Bohra mentioned that the incident indicates the outcome of real-time surveillance, especially in a crowded area such as Visakhapatnam railway station that aided in apprehending habitual offenders.
According to police, both Shiva and Bhangaru came to Vizag to get treated at King George Hospital. During investigation, they mentioned that they gave up crime and are now into fruit business.
