Face reading tech to curb crime in Metro

NEW DELHI: In a bid to detect the criminals the Delhi Metro, the Delhi police has written to Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) asking it to install facial recognition system in the Delhi Metro network.

According to sources, the letter was written two months ago, which stated that across the world in major cities that see heavy crowds, cameras equipped with face recognition systems are installed. With the footfall in Delhi Metro increasing regularly, face recognition technology will assist the police in identifying criminals.

A senior police officer said, “In the letter, we have asked the corporation to provide access to facial recognition system to Delhi police, so that if any criminals come inside the Metro network, the facial recognition technology will alert them.”

In facial recognition system, the photographs of wanted criminals are fed into the system and if any camera captures the face of any  criminal or a known offender in the Metro train, instant alerts  will be sent out so that the police can do its job of capturing the criminal.

The sources said that t the latest compendium of criminals includes names of those criminals who have been involved in multiple crimes in Metro trains and within the jurisdiction of Metro police.

The 74-page document includes coloured photographs, criminal history and the places where the accused belongs to or resides.

“The documents have been sent to all Delhi Metro police stations as well as the Delhi Metro stations so as to keep a tab on the criminals,” said a police officer.

The latest compendium contains as many as 148 names of known criminals, including women. In the year 2017, the police had registered more than 12,000 cases, which includes e-FIRs.

Most of these cases pertained to pickpocketing and bag lifting. More than 20 per cent of these cases were solved.