Uttar Pradesh

• 22 Jan 2025

AI in Maha Kumbh 2025

Why in News? 

Authorities are using CCTV cameras equipped with Artificial Intelligence to manage the rush of devotees at the ongoing Maha Kumbh Mela and predict sudden crowd surges. 

 Key Points 

• Crowd Statistics: 
  • Approximately 50 to 60 lakh people visit the fair daily. 
  • The number of devotees surges on ritual bathing days: 
    • Paush Purnima: 1.6 crore people took a dip. 
    • Makar Sankranti (January 14): 3.5 crore people participated. 
    • Mauni Amavasya (January 29): An estimated 6 to 7 crore people are expected. 
• Surveillance and Monitoring Setup: 
  • Authorities have installed around 2,700 CCTV cameras across Prayagraj for the festival with 1,800 located in the fair area. 
  • Monitoring is conducted through four Integrated Command and Control Centres (ICCC) within the fair area. 
• Role of AI in Crowd Management: 
  • Out of 1,800 CCTV cameras, approximately 160 are equipped with AI technology. 
  • AI calculates crowd density per square metre to estimate the number of people in specific areas at specific times. 
  • Authorities use AI data to estimate the number of pilgrims expected on major bathing days and divert crowds to prevent overcrowding. 
• AI in Emergency Response: 
  • AI facilitates evacuation in emergencies, such as the recent fire incident that destroyed 40 huts and 60 tents. 
  • This is the first time AI has been used for crowd management on such a large scale globally. 
  • Challenges and Limitations: 
    • AI models sometimes face gaps due to low network connectivity and technical issues. 
    • Equipping all CCTV cameras with AI remains cost-prohibitive. 

 Artificial Intelligence (AI) 

• About: 
  • AI is the ability of a computer, or a robot controlled by a computer to do tasks that are usually done by humans because they require human intelligence and discernment. 
    • Although there is no AI that can perform the wide variety of tasks an ordinary human can do, some AI can match humans in specific tasks. 
• Characteristics & Components: 
  • The ideal characteristic of artificial intelligence is its ability to rationalize and take actions that have the best chance of achieving a specific goal. A subset of AI is Machine Learning (ML). 
    • Deep Learning (DL) techniques enable this automatic learning through the absorption of huge amounts of unstructured data such as text, images, or video. 

Custodial deaths in Sambhal

Why in News? 

Recently, a man died in police custody in Sambhal district of Uttar Pradesh, prompting his family and locals to protest, alleging custodial torture.  

 Key Points 

• About the Incident: 
  • While police suggested a possible heart attack as the cause, the victim's family and locals protested at the outpost, forcing officials to flee to avoid a mob attack. 
  • Later, personnel from the Rapid Action Force (RAF) restored order by deploying forces in the area. 
• Custodial Torture 
  • About: 
    • Custodial torture is the infliction of physical or mental pain or suffering on a person who is in the custody of the police or other authorities. 
    • It is a grave violation of human rights and dignity and often leads to custodial deaths, which are deaths that occur while a person is in custody. 
  • Types of Custodial Death: 
    • Death in Police Custody: 
      • Death in police custody can result from excessive force, torture, denial of medical care, or other forms of abuse. 
    • Death in Judicial Custody: 
      • Death in judicial custody may occur due to overcrowding, poor hygiene, lack of medical facilities, inmate violence, or suicide. 
    • Death in the Custody of Army or Paramilitary Forces: 
      • Can happen through torture, extrajudicial killings, encounters, or crossfire incidents. 
  • Challenges in Preventing Custodial Torture in India: 
    • Lack of ratification of the UN Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (UNCAT), which India signed in 1997 but has not yet ratified. 
      • This prevents India from being bound by international obligations and standards to prevent and combat custodial torture. 

 International Conventions for Human Rights 

• International Human Rights Law, 1948: 
  • The International Human Rights Law contains a provision which protects people from torture and other enforced disappearances. 
• United Nation Charter, 1945: 
  • The United Nations Charter calls for treating prisoners with dignity. The Charter clearly states that despite being prisoners, their fundamental freedoms and human rights are set out in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. 
• The Nelson Mandela Rules, 2015: 
  • The Nelson Mandela Rules were adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 2015 to treat prisoners with inherent dignity and to prohibit torture and other ill-treatment.