Police in the Indian state of Uttarakhand will use a facial recognition system linked to a terrorist watchlist as the state hosts the Ardh Kumbh pilgrimage.The CCTV-based system will scan the crowds expected for Ardh Kumbh in the hope of identifying terrorists and suspects as part of security measures, reports the Times of India.”For the first time ever, we will be using facial recognition system in Uttarakhand,” DGP Uttarakhand B S Sidhu told the newspaper.The plan was revealed at a meeting last week between senior administrative, police and railway officers from Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Delhi and Uttarakhand.When the event was last held in 2007, more than 70 million people visited Ardh Kumbh Mela at Prayag in 2007. There are three different kinds of kumbh: an ardh (or half) kumbh is held every six years at two set locations; a purna (full) kumbh is held every 12 years at four set locations.Rituals for Ardh Kumbh on the banks of the Ganga at Har-ki-Pauri will be performed continuously till 22 April.
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