Delhi Police has claimed that facial recognition technology and other technical tools helped identify 2,873 people with criminal backgrounds at and around the Jantar Mantar protest site between July 20 and 25.
According to police, 989 of those identified had records linked to serious offences, including murder, robbery, rape, kidnapping, and cases registered under the Arms Act. Several individuals were also allegedly identified as habitual offenders.
Investigators are now examining whether any of these individuals were involved in the violence recorded on CCTV footage, including alleged stone-pelting, attacks on police personnel, damage to vehicles, and violations of barricades.
Police clarified that merely being identified at the protest site does not establish a person’s involvement in any violent activity, and the specific roles of individuals are still under investigation.
Meanwhile, the use of facial recognition technology during the demonstrations has also come under legal scrutiny, with challenges raised over privacy concerns and constitutional safeguards.
