Capulus Technologies selected for accelerator as biometric app catches murder accused

Smart policing and biometrics provider Capulus Technologies, based in India’s Karnataka State, has been selected as part of the third cohort for the Telangana AI Mission (T-AIM) startup accelerator, RevvUp. The firm’s software just helped find a murder accused who absconded 12 years ago, as random biometrics checks by police across India become more common. The third RevvUp cohort has selected 62 startups from 13 Indian states, as the state whose capital is tech center Hyderabad, pushes for AI-based development opportunities for the state. The scheme is backed by trade group NASSCOM, the National Association of Software and Service Companies.

(1/5) #RevvUp selects 62 #AI #startups for Cohort 3. Congrats to the selected startups! With this, Revv Up is supporting 140+ AI startups spanning 3 cohorts from across India!@KTRTRS @jayesh_ranjan @ramadevi_lanka @debjani_ghosh_ @sangeetagupta29 @Ankitthe1 @MokkaSpeaks pic.twitter.com/Oo3Mvo2xjy

— Telangana AI Mission (@AiTelangana) December 12, 2022

The accelerator promises use case opportunities with the Government of Telangana and industry partners. Capulus Technologies provides the software and app for mobile fingerprint scanners used by police in Karnataka state in southern India, and neighbor to Telangana. The Mobile-Crime and Criminal Tracking Network Systems (M-CCTNS) app gives police officers real-time access to any criminal records if a match is found against the state’s 200,000-strong database, plus crime mapping and analytics. The system has just detected a person accused of murder who absconded 12 years ago, reports the Hindustan Times. Police in Bengaluru (Bangalore), capital of Karnataka, used the app and portable finger scanner, which found the match, tweeted Vinayak Patil, deputy commissioner of police for Bengaluru North.

Murder case accused abscounding for last 12 years nabbed by @yeshwanthpuraps with help of mCCTNS app & portable finger print scanner which verifies suspects' finger print against database. Technology empowering cutting edge functionaries.@DgpKarnataka @CPBlr @AddlCPWest

— Vinayak Patil, IPS (@DCPNorthBCP) November 16, 2022

The circumstances of why police scanned the biometrics of the accused are unclear. “mCCTNS app doesn't store finger print but merely verifies it against finger print database of previously arrested persons. It's quite handy during random check of suspects and night rounds,” tweeted Patil, suggesting random checks are normal. In Tamil Nadu, random face biometric checks are also being reported. The Hindustan Times article states the technology was also used by police in Mysuru (Mysore) during Dasara celebrations. Officers picked up pickpockets who already had criminal records. Three other states are reported to be interested in deploying the M-CCTNS system.