HYDERABAD: The National Crime Records Bureau(NCRB) has once again raised a demand for limited access to Aadhaar data to crack crimes. The bureau has already sent a request in this regard to the Home Ministry. At the two-day 19th All India Conference of Directors of Finger Print Bureau (FPB), a request was also made to the Minister of State for Home Affairs, Hansraj Gangaram Ahir to release funds for the department.
The FPB sought sharing of Aadhaar data to trace first-time offenders and unidentified dead bodies and also an amendment to the Identification of Prisoners Act. The minister expressed his support to resolve the issues faced by the FPBs. Speaking to the delegation of fingerprinting experts from across the country, NCRB director Ish Kumar opened up on the challenges his department was facing.
“There are 40 lakh fingerprints lying in various states which have to be merged with the national repository. But this is not possible because the present Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS) system is old and outdated with limited capacity. We have proposed to set up a national AFIS with nodes in the state from where search queries can be sent to the national database,” he said. However, the needed upgrade is pending due to the lack of adequate funding from the centre. The NCRB director requested the minister to help facilitate the budget allotment. The director also called for an amendment to the Identification of Prisoners Act 1920 so that other modern biometrics like Iris, veins, signature, voice, keystrokes can also be captured.
After upgrading the fingerprinting system in the State, Telangana State police have been able to solve 480 previously unsolved cases from a backlog of 868 undetected cases, said DGP M Mahendar Reddy. But for firms selling tools that aid better capture of fingerprints, business is dull despite huge interest from state police from across the country.
“A total of `7.2 crore worth property was recovered through the identification of chance prints developed at scenes of crime. Apart from the above 42 cases of unknown dead bodies were also identified through fingerprints,” he added. The 4k mobile multi spectral fingerprint made by Forenscope boasts that the camera attached to a tablet could help spot blood stains and semen.
“This is a bio evidence tablet that can capture what cannot be seen by the naked eye. We have shown the technology to over 20 states and the response has been tremendous. But these types of equipment cost anywhere between `15 to `25 lakh, so we are not sure how many of them will buy it,” said Ashok Hinduja, chief executive officer of Kwick Soft Solutions.
We will end terror reign in Kashmir: Ahir
Hyderabad: The Centre will not tolerate terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir and is committed to bringing peace in the Valley, said Minister of State for Home Affairs Hansraj Gangaram Ahir. “We want to end this trouble forever, what is being carried out in Kashmir by separatists, terrorists or by Pakistan. The government will not tolerate it,” said the Minister of State for Home.
Speaking on the sidelines of an event here after participating in the All India Conference of Directors of Fingerprints Bureau, Ahir said, the government will not hesitate in taking action against terrorists.”Whoever acts against the country, we will take action against them. We will continue to give a befitting reply,” he added. When asked about the calls for shutdown given out by some outfits in the valley, the minister responded by saying, “Whoever gives the call for a bandh, be it separatists or terrorists, we will not listen to them,” he said.