Portrait-building software to help nab criminals faster

To identify and arrest criminals on the run, a software to build portraits has been generated for the Gurgaon police.

To identify and arrest criminals on the run, a software to build portraits has been generated for the Gurgaon police.

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The software ‘Pehchaan Pro’ will enable the police to draw the portrait of an accused.

Features such as forehead lines, eyebrows, eyes, hair, head shapes, smile, mouth lines, jaw shapes, beard, glasses and various other facial features have been included in this. The software can produce accurate details through wound marks, acne, birthmarks and scars as well.

To prepare sketches, a four-member team of police personnel has been deployed in the computer cell of the Gurgaon police force.

For these sleuths, investigation to crack a case begins on a drawing board.

DCP (Crime), Rajesh Duggal, said, “The police arrested two accused on the basis of sketches this year. The new software is of great help to us. In cases involving loot, dacoity and murder, sketches are prepared on the basis of interaction with the complainant. Sometimes it is difficult to make a sketch as interactions are for a few seconds.”

“The complainant tells us about the description of an accused and we prepare a sketch on the computer. The accuracy of portraits is nearly 50% when complainants viewed the accused in daylight. However, making a portrait becomes difficult when a crime takes place in the night and the complainant cannot tell much,” said Dharmendra Singh, in-charge of the portrait building team.

Singh said a portrait is made in the presence of the complainant and the investigative officer (IO).

“Facial features are the most important aspect in determining the identity of a criminal. The complainant is mostly under pressure while describing an accused. We ask them to calm down and help them recollect the facial features,” said Ravinder, a constable.

There have been 20 cases this year wherein sketches were made to determine the identity of the accused.

The police arrested two persons from the Gurgaon City area on May 5, who allegedly murdered an egg vendor at Khandsa Road on April 30.

A sketch was prepared and uploaded on the Gurgaon police’s Facebook page, leading to his arrest.

In another case of murder at Rajendra Park, the accused was nabbed within two days on the basis of a sketch.