Security Tech Helps Police Detain Alleged Overground Worker During Amarnath Yatra

The Amarnath pilgrimage in Jammu and Kashmir saw a successful intervention on July 11 when police leveraged facial recognition at the Nunwan Base Camp’s security gate. An alert raised at the X‑ray zone led to the immediate detainment of a man later identified as Mohammad Iqbal Vani, a local resident of Hazin in Bandipora district. Vani, who is the son of Ali Mohammad Vani, was confirmed to be operating as an overground worker, a term used for covert operatives on pilgrimage routes. He has been taken into police custody for interrogation and possible prosecution. The incident underscores the growing reliance on advanced biometric tools to bolster crowd safety, streamline entry management, and neutralise threats before they can affect the pilgrim flow.