Delhi Police Deploys Facial Recognition at Protests

Delhi police have employed facial recognition technology for live surveillance operations during recent protests at Jantar Mantar. Journalists reporting on the ground observed police vehicles equipped with systems designed to identify individuals through facial analysis.

Journalist Ila Kazmi shared video footage showing a police van where personnel appeared to monitor CCTV feeds and individual photographs, potentially matched against databases. Kazmi stated the van was fitted with cameras capturing live footage of protesters for identification purposes.

Another journalist, Srishti from Article14, reported being personally targeted by the surveillance. She found her own image on a monitor inside a surveillance van, with her face being zoomed in by a 360-degree PTZ (Pan-Tilt-Zoom) camera. When confronted, the personnel inside explained the camera's capabilities.

This deployment has raised privacy concerns. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta previously stated in a Delhi High Court hearing that such monitoring is for law and order and not "snooping." However, journalists and privacy advocates have voiced criticism, noting India's lack of comprehensive laws governing biometric surveillance and calling this a violation of privacy.