What is NAFIS ?

24 April 20211, in Seoni district of Madhya Pradesh state, police finds a dead body. And to identify that dead body, police faces a lot of problem. Searched a lot but didn't find and clue. And then with the help of fingerprints, it turns out that this dead is of Iswar Singh, who was caught in a theft case in 2010. Now you will say, what's new in this? Well, just have a look at this. This is the condition of some of the police stations of our country. and this thing puts a big question will the information needed by the police be safe or not in this condition?

Can the crime against you be stopped by accessing the data of fingerprints or criminal files? Will you get justice or not? People know a lot of work, but for the first time in India in 1986, on the recommendation of the National Police Commission, India's Central Fingerprint Bureau started the project to automate fingerprints for the first time. After which in 1992, AFI, Automated Fingerprint Identification digitized all the fingerprints in all the police records for the first time. And after this it got its name FACTS 1. 0, Fingerprint Analysis And Criminal Tracing System. And after 1992, this system was upgraded many times. And finally in 2018, NCRB, National Crime Record Bureau said, that now the FACTS system is outdated and now, its time to change the game.

And this is where a game changer thing begins. NAFIS, National Automated Fingerprint Identification System. Hardly anyone knows that for the first time, fingerprint identification system was introduced in British rule. But at that time, fingerprint identification was used to administrative work not for catching criminals. In 1800, chief administrative Mr. William Herschel introduced fingerprint identification system in this world for the first time. And a few years later, this system was used to catch criminals. There have been two such theft cases in MP and Delhi, where the police could not find any evidence.

The only thing police has just fingerprints. But due to these fingerprints, the police not only arrested those criminals, bu also got them punished. But how? Knowing everything about a person from just a fingerprint. Crazy, right? Knowing everything about a person from just a fingerprint. Our government has made it possible. And all this became possible because of NAFIS.

National Automated Fingerprint Identification System - NAFIS. Which our home minister Mr. Amit Shah launched on 17th August 2022 in front of whole nation. But why? Why is this whole system in place? What is the requirement of this system? And most importantly, how is our life going to change after this? So at the very first pace, let's understand what is NAFIS?

Suppose a crime happens to you. You go out of town and there is a burglary in your house. And not just that, a member's life is also taken in your house. And those criminals had mask on their face. You want to catch them, but how? How do you find out who those people were? Is there any way? Whenever such a crime happens, the forensic team first comes there and collects all the evidences.

Like fingerprints, hair samples, even nail scrapings, and if there are blood or saliva samples, all these things. After this, all these forensic evidences are sent to the forensic lab for testing. Apart from that, a lot people are suspected, and after that these forensic evidences are matched with them, and after that a criminal record forms. All the details of the person with whom all those things match his criminal record is made. After that a charge sheet is filed and that person is presented in the court. But if someone pleads not guilty during a criminal court trial or he completed his sentence, or he gets the bail. So in that scenario, in most of the cases, those criminals commit the crimes either with the same identity or with the new identity. Now the problem is, when that criminal goes to the other state, that other state doesn’t have any criminal record of that person.

Due to which it becomes very hard to identify or catch that criminal. By using such things and dodging their criminal history they commit more crime after going to other cities. And this is where NAFIS comes in. In NAFIS, many stations would be set in every state, and these stations, by collecting the data of fingerprints and palm prints, and store it into a central database. Like if we take the example of three states, Gujarat, Delhi and Mumbai, so in that scenario, all the police stations that have been in all these states, all the criminals who have been there so far, all the criminal records present there and all the criminals who are coming, by extracting the data of their fingerprints and palm prints and will be stored them in the central database of NAFIS. Basically, NAFIS is an online web based application, which will act like a central store house, where every crime record of a criminal and every data would be stored. Like his fingerprints, palm prints, blood samples, even his every crime record, all these details would be present there. And police authorities can access these database files form anywhere in India.

Now you must be thinking, what's new in this? Fingerprints were used earlier too, and even all identification records of criminals like fingerprints, palm prints, and along-with that, their details like address, phone no. , family everything used to get stored earlier, and that data was retrieved as and when required. So how would NAFIS change the game? So, here is the catch. Till now all the records and details of the crimes that used to happen were stored inside the physical records. And now there is a bit digitization but still the problem was, those criminals used to commit crimes by changing their name, identification and all other things. Due to which, we used to face two problems.

No. 1 - No past records. Suppose when a criminal changes his whole identity and is caught, even after catching him, police would never come to know, that this person was already a criminal. And it will become very difficult for the police to interrogate that person because they don't have any details of that person. And second problem, lack of conclusive evidence. There are a lot of cases where a lot of fingerprints are found but, but the police do not know with whom to match these fingerprints. Who are the suspects. If there is a suspect and fingerprint is matched, then well and good and if not so then police will stay surprised, that with whom to match these fingerprints, and in that case, the whole case remains open and shut, and nothing happens in that case.

See as citizens, it is very important for us, to understand the crime deeply as much as possible. Why? Because you can avoid many such crimes by reading all this. Like if you listen this audiobook 'Crime Capital' on KukuFM, then you will get such information about past crimes, which most of the people don't know. And due to that information, you will also come to know, that how this crime could have been stopped. Similarly there are more than 10k audiobooks, shows and book summaries on Kuku FM, which can take your knowledge to next level. You won't get so much knowledge in so little money anywhere. And you know if you use my coupon code RUNJH2258, then you will get 50% off on first month subscription of KukuFM app.

That means you can get that subscription in 49 rupees. This is so amazing, isn't it? I've put its link in description and comment box for you! You can also try KukuFM app, and believe me, it would be very beneficial for you! I know, what you are thinking, how would police catch criminals with the help of this NAFIS system? Now see, how this works. Suppose a crime happens. Now all his details including his name, phone no.

family, his palm prints, his fingerprints, his footprints, even his blood samples and saliva samples in DNA samples, all these things would be stored in NAFIS system. After which this system gives a 10 digit Unique Criminal Identification Number, which is called NFN, National Fingerprint Number. Starting two digits of these number would be state code, like if you call in India, have to add +91 code. Similarly, suppose the starting numbers are 2 and 4, then this means that its state code is Gujarat. Similarly, if it is 03, it means the state code is Punjab. After your criminal arrest, your individual profile would be created, which will contain all your details like name, phone no. , address, family connections, even DNA samples, fingerprints and all the other things. After that, your profile would be linked to NFN, National Fingerprint Number.

Now, using NFN, any police station, whether it is Delhi or Mumbai police station, they can extract all your information from central database using that NFN. And they can extract all your information using your fingerprint samples. This NFN stays with that criminal for lifetime. So if he does a crime in future, all history can be extracted from his DNA samples or fingerprint data. I know what you are thinking. What's new in this? Fingerprints were used earlier too to catch the criminals. And moreover, if so, we see all details in our Aadhar card.

It has our retina scans and biometric scans. So take all the data from there and give it to NCRB. The whole problem would get solved. Our government can't use the data of our Aadhar card. Because it will expose your privacy. And especially when there is a criminal activity involved. Rather on the other hand, NAFIS store your identification number when you commit a crime. And it will also stop police from using the data of common people and misusing it.

Because in this case, data will be only used to solve criminal cases. Now as citizen, how is your life is going to change because of this? Well, in these three ways. No. 1 - Faster case solve. Whereas earlier the evidences collected were sent to forensic labs, and it used to take a lot of time in verifying those evidences, now the same process would be done under 12 hours, from collecting evidences to verifying them, and it will be matched that with whom this evidence is being matched. Second, reduction in crimes. There are a lot of cases where police find  a lot of evidence, they get a lot of fingerprints, nail scrapping, DNA samples but the problem is the police is not able to match them with suspects, reason being, they don't know who the suspects are!

In a lot of cases, those who have already done the crimes, do the crime again. But now they won't be able to escape. Because they can check all those samples and can verify in NAFIS system that with whom, these samples are matching. And as soon as the sample match is done, all the details of that criminal can be extracted only from his DNA samples such as his fingerprints, footprints and even his saliva and hair. And last and most importantly, strictness on police authorities. No matter how right our system is but one thing is for sure that it is very slow. You go to the police station, and unless there is something serious happened with you, try to do FIR. There are very high chances that police will not entertain you!

But after NAFIS system, strictness on police authorities would increase. So if a police officer doesn't take your complaint, or after taking your complaint, if they don't seriously investigate your case, then all his details will reflect in NAFIS system, and this puts an obligation on the police officer, that they investigate your case properly, and give you a better crime protection. And this is how our government is implementing such systems, due to which, in coming time, India would be more safe and secure for you! And it will take our country a step ahead. And if you want to understand crimes more deeply, especially those crime that have happened in Delhi, then listen this audiobook 'Crime Capital' on KukuFM. Believe me, you would enjoy a lot. I've put its link in description and comment box for you! And you know if you use my coupon code RUNJH2258, then you will get 50% off on first month subscription of KukuFM app.

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Do you have concerns such as:

• Biometric Identification
• Criminal Justice System
• Digital Forensics
• Electronic Fingerprinting
• Fingerprints
• Forensic Science
• Identification Technology
• Law Enforcement
• Automated Fingerprint Identification
• Fingerprint Analysis
• Fingerprint Database
• Identification Records
• Investigative Tools
• Biometric Data
• Latent Prints
• AFIS
• Criminal Investigations
• Crime Scene
• Public Safety
• Security
• Identification Management
• Criminal Records
• Authentication
• Verification
• Identification Systems