Delhi Police Identify Over 2,800 With Criminal Records at Protest Using Facial Recognition
The Delhi Police have identified 2,873 individuals with previous criminal records who were present at a protest at Jantar Mantar, sources confirmed on Monday. The identification was carried out using facial recognition systems installed at and around the protest venue.
The AI-enabled system compares live CCTV footage with existing criminal databases and dossier records maintained by different district police units and law enforcement agencies, according to police sources.
The verification exercise follows a crackdown on protesters during a march to Parliament on July 20. Among those identified, 989 have been previously involved in heinous crimes, including 101 in murder, 62 in attempt to murder, and 284 in robbery. Sixty-one individuals were earlier involved in rape cases, six were booked under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, and 25 for molestation.
Police said the initiative aims to identify people with previous criminal involvement and assess the nature of individuals participating in or moving around the protest site. However, the force has not provided any clarification on queries related to alleged harassment of protesters by personnel, including those in plainclothes and not wearing name tags, and some who allegedly harassed women during the march.
An analysis showed that among the 101 people linked to murder cases, 42 were involved in two or more criminal cases, while 12 have criminal histories involving 10 or more cases, suggesting repeated involvement in serious offences. Similarly, 155 of the 284 accused in dacoity and robbery cases had multiple criminal cases against them, including 31 who had been booked in 10 or more cases.
The findings will form part of the overall investigation into the violence witnessed during the protest and will be used to identify individuals requiring further verification. Police described those with multiple cases as habitual offenders.
