Hyderabad CP Sajjanar Reviews AI-Based Security During Ujjaini Mahankali Bonalu

Hyderabad City Police Commissioner V.C. Sajjanar visited the Ujjaini Mahankali Temple in Secunderabad on Sunday along with his family during the ongoing Ashada Bonalu festival. He offered silk robes and Bonam to the presiding deity and participated in special rituals, seeking the blessings of Goddess Mahankali.

After offering prayers, the Commissioner inspected the elaborate security arrangements put in place around the temple and reviewed the deployment and operational preparedness of police personnel with senior officials.

Addressing the media, Sajjanar said Bonalu is one of Hyderabad's most significant cultural and religious festivals, carrying immense historical importance for the city. He noted that celebrations have been progressing peacefully across Hyderabad with thousands of devotees participating in the festivities. He added that the Bonalu celebrations at Golconda and Balkampet concluded successfully, while the festivals at Ujjaini Mahankali Temple and Lal Darwaza are currently being celebrated with great devotion and enthusiasm.

To ensure the smooth conduct of the festivities, the Commissioner said nearly 2,500 police personnel have been deployed for security at the Ujjaini Mahankali Bonalu. He highlighted that, for the first time, the city police have introduced an AI-based crowd management and surveillance system to enhance public safety during the large-scale religious event.

According to Sajjanar, the system is integrated with CCTV cameras and facial recognition technology, enabling police to swiftly identify known offenders, chain snatchers, and pickpockets. He said this technology would help strengthen surveillance and improve the overall security response around the temple premises.

The Commissioner further explained that police are continuously monitoring the movement of devotees through a queue management system, tracking both entry and exit points. Using threshold mapping, officials are assessing crowd density in real time and taking immediate measures whenever congestion approaches unsafe levels, thereby reducing the risk of overcrowding and preventing stampedes.

Sajjanar said the Hyderabad City Police are working in close coordination with the Endowments Department, GHMC, and other government agencies to ensure the Bonalu celebrations conclude peacefully without any untoward incidents. He appealed to devotees to cooperate with the police and follow the prescribed arrangements for a safe and hassle-free darshan.

Senior officials, including DCP Rakshitha Krishnamurthy, DCP Avinash Kumar, Additional DCP Narsayya, and ACP Sridhar, were also present during the visit.