TIRUMALA: Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) has seized 239 drones and 89 spy glasses with cameras amid rising security threats from modern surveillance gadgets in Tirumala.
Officials said vigilance teams seized 85 drones and 45 spy glasses from January till date as pilgrims increasingly attempted to bring such devices into the hill shrine, posing serious security and privacy risks.
Chief Vigilance and Security Officer Murali Krishna told Express that drones and smart glasses have evolved into major security threats, enabling discreet surveillance, unauthorised data collection and potential physical dangers.
He said the threats include breaches of privacy, industrial espionage and illegal activities such as smuggling, with artificial intelligence enabling real-time facial recognition.
A senior Vigilance and Security officer said, “We need more strengthening in this activity, need more techies in the staff, our people are getting training as part of cyber security.”
Officials said the vigilance department has intensified checks and strengthened vigil to curb misuse. Krishna said these devices act as ‘flying laptops,’ allowing covert capture of sensitive information. He said smart glasses can record in private spaces and, with AI tools, enable real-time identification, posing risks of harassment. Experts said drones can conduct reconnaissance, spoof networks and carry harmful payloads, making them a major security concern.