CHITTOOR, July 20, 2016
Police teams inspecting registers at a lodge in Chittoor.Photo: By Arrangement
Web-based application launched to monitor movement of smugglers, factionists
The Chittoor-police developed “Lodges Management system”, a web-based application, capable to detecting the whereabouts of red sanders smugglers or factionists whenever they stay in lodges. The application is going to be installed in over 200 lodges and rest houses in various places of Chittoor and Madanapalle divisions.
Deputy Superintendent of Police (Crime) I. Ramakrishna said the district was in the forefront of introducing the application, and the remaining three districts of Rayalaseema would be connected to the system soon. “Letters were addressed to the police authorities of Kurnool, Anantapur and Kadapa districts in this regard,” he said.
The DSP said through the novel technology, the check-in and check-out movements of the criminals and accused would be thoroughly monitored.
“All the lodge owners were informed to compulsorily take the Aadhaar proof of the customers in addition to taking their photographs, before providing them accommodation. Apart from feeding the Aadhaar number in the desktop and Android versions, the lodge operators must send the scanned copies along with photographs of customers. By feeding the Aadhaar numbers, our network at the command control system would provide alerts in case of detecting suspicious elements,” he said.
Faction-ridden districts
Chittoor district, which borders with Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and three faction-ridden districts of Rayalaseema is vulnerable to the movements of red sanders smugglers and factionists. “Generally, these unlawful elements choose to stay in lodges of other districts for attending court cases and chalking out criminal designs at their rivals,” Mr Ramakrishna said.
At present, the Chittoor police have included the lodges in Kanipakkam, the third popular pilgrimage centre in the district after Tirumala and Srikalahasti. “We have also sought the tourism officials to get linked to our system for monitoring of their guest houses in Horseley hills and other tourist attractions such as Talakona,” the DSP said.
In Chittoor town, as many as 27 lodges were under surveillance. “Four mobile parties are pressed into service to regularly check the entries in the lodges,” he said.