The first order under the mechanism was issued on June 13 against a criminal. (Representational)
Police in Pune in Maharashtra have developed a customised and modified version of a home quarantine monitoring mechanism to track criminals who have been externed, an official said on Sunday.
The Externees Monitoring and Tracking System Application, also called Extra, has been modified from the Home Quarantine Tracking System that is being used amid the outbreak to ensure those advised isolation are following it.
"Extra is a facial recognition and geo location-based tracking system operationalised on an experimental basis for externed criminals," he said.
"The externed criminal has to download the Extra app on his phone, undergo one-time registration which is approved by police, and then post selfies as indicated or sent as surprise notifications to mark attendance," said Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Bachchan Singh.
The externee's selfie, associated geo-location and time of attendance are tracked and verified through artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms, the DCP added.
"If the uploaded selfie does not match or if the geo-fence (around Pune city) is breached, then real-time alerts are issued. It ensures the externment mechanism can be tracked from police control rooms. Efforts have been taken to see that privacy is not breached," he added.
The first order under the mechanism was issued on June 13 against a criminal on record, he said.
Such use of technology reduces dependence on "in person verification" and also keeps checking policemen safe during outbreaks like the coronavirus one, Mr Singh said.