The Delhi Police have deployed facial recognition system (FRS) units at key entry and exit points around the Jantar Mantar protest venue to identify wanted criminals, absconders, and history-sheeters. Linked directly to the force's database, the surveillance setup allows real-time monitoring and includes the Ikshana mobile surveillance vehicle, a technology first introduced ahead of the 2023 G20 Summit. The system operates by converting facial features from video feeds into digital templates, flagging potential matches against stored records if a similarity score meets a set threshold—previously specified by police as at least 80 per cent accuracy. Although officers stated the exercise aimed to prevent individuals with criminal antecedents from disturbing law and order, the Delhi Police did not disclose the size of their database, the system's performance accuracy during the protest, or the protocols triggered by a potential match.

Background: Facial Recognition in Policing

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