Key Takeaways
• Telangana’s AMBIS system collects face, iris, voice, and handwriting data, expanding upon fingerprints after the 2022 Identification Act.
• Major data breaches in 2024 exposed biometric records from police apps, sparking privacy concerns and legal challenges in Telangana.
• Experts urge strong encryption, judicial oversight, and immediate breach notifications to protect personal rights amid rapid police modernization.
Telangana’s move to modernize police work has quickly picked up speed in 2025. The state is changing how it gathers information on people suspected of crimes. Instead of only using fingerprints, Telangana is introducing an Automated Multimodal Biometric Identification System (often called AMBIS). This new approach is much broader. Now, police can use things like face and eye scans, records of someone’s voice, even images of handwriting. These changes follow the Criminal Procedure (Identification) Act, which was passed in 2022. This law tells police across India 🇮🇳 they can collect and store many more types of personal data during police work.
However, this high-speed upgrade comes at a time when police apps and biometric records in Telangana and around India 🇮🇳 have suffered large data breaches. These incidents have led to increased fears about privacy and calls for better ways to stop cyber theft. At the same time, people are still fighting in court about whether police should use technology like facial recognition at all. Let’s look closer at what’s happening, what it means for people in Telangana, and how these changes might affect police work and personal rights across India 🇮🇳.
A Push for Modern Tools
Telangana has always wanted to be a leader when it comes to new technology. In March 2024, the police department released a priority plan to replace its old fingerprint system. This older system depended on Russia-based Papillon’s Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS), which the state first put in place in 2017. At the time, the system used things like:
- Special computer storage
- Blade servers (powerful computers)
- Over 700 palm scanners
- More than 1,600 devices for single-finger prints
- 125 licenses for experts to run the fingerprint checks
By early 2025, warranties on this system had ended. Plus, the Criminal Procedure (Identification) Act said police needed to gather even more forms of personal data. That law was the main reason for the rush to upgrade. Telangana even tested parts of this new AMBIS system at five police stations, working quickly so they could switch systems “overnight.” This urgency showed how committed the state is to staying ahead in digital policing.
The Big Change: From Fingerprints to Multimodal Biometrics
The heart of the new setup is the Automated Multimodal Biometric Identification System. Unlike traditional fingerprint systems, this new system supports:
- Scanning faces and running facial recognition (matching faces in photos or videos with photos stored in databases)
- Dual iris scans (pictures of both eyes)
- Voice samples
- Handwriting scans using flatbed scanners (scanning written notes or signatures)
- Footprints and digital signatures
What does all this mean? It means police in Telangana can now collect much more information about a person than ever before. The technology also ties directly into mobile search terminals. This lets police officers use simple apps on their devices to check if someone’s face or fingerprint matches anyone wanted in crime databases.
One police app being updated is DiPP7, which already lets officers capture fingerprints. The new version allows for face scans and matching with police records—right where the officer stands. Users expect these apps to be easy to use, very secure, and follow all privacy rules.
Data Breaches Bring Risks
While these technical advances sound helpful for solving crimes, they also carry big risks. Two large breaches in mid-2024 made those dangers very clear.
First, hackers broke into the TSCOP app, which officers all over Telangana use for fast access to police records. The attack exposed the app’s integrated facial recognition module. Some of this information was offered for sale online at rock-bottom prices. Why did it happen? According to reports, app developers left passwords visible in the app’s computer code. That made it far too easy for criminals to break in.
Just weeks before, hackers also targeted the HawkEye app. This is used by the public to report problems or crimes and is very popular—over 200,000 people use it. The breach leaked names, phone numbers, emails, and even details from complaints and emergency alerts. The personal information of a huge number of regular people ended up online.
And these are not the only leaks. An earlier breach at the national level—linked with careless storage by government contractors—saw almost 500 gigabytes worth of biometric records leak. This included both fingerprints and face images for teachers, railway workers, and other groups.
Security experts warn how dangerous these leaks are. You can change a password or even a bank card number. But you can’t easily change your fingerprints or the shape of your face. Once stolen, this kind of data is out there forever.
Alarming Cybercrime Numbers
These attacks are not just one-off events. Data shows that in just the first months of 2024, Telangana made up 23% of all digital malware (virus) cases found in India 🇮🇳. That’s more than 6.25 million infections. There were also 17,505 ransomware attacks—meaning important data was locked away and criminals demanded money to unlock it. On average, almost 47 such attacks happened every single day. The report from Telangana’s cyber threat team said there must be stronger cooperation between government groups to stop these threats from growing.
Legal Challenges: Citizens Push Back
The Criminal Procedure (Identification) Act allowed police in every Indian state—including Telangana—to collect more biometric data: not just fingerprints, but also eyes, faces, footprints, and more. The official tender document for this system made it clear: “[Law enforcement agencies are now empowered…to carry out extensive collection [of] iris scans; facial images; fingerprints; footprints…of undertrials [and] prisoners.]” This policy aims to help police find suspects faster and solve cases more efficiently.
But some citizens do not agree. Since late 2021, a key court case has continued in the Telangana High Court. A resident, with help from the Internet Freedom Foundation, asked the court to stop police from using facial recognition without strict oversight. The case is still open today. Privacy advocates believe these new tools could be misused unless there are strong checks and balances. The latest data breaches show these risks are real—not just for regular people, but even for government workers and their own families, since identity checks now depend on information that cannot be changed.
More Than Biometric Policing: Broader Digital Changes in Telangana
These new biometric systems are just one part of a bigger digital shift in Telangana. The state government has invested in many other tech projects, including:
- Aadhaar-based attendance trackers that clocked over 10 million checks for various government programs
- Smart cards that connect health and government benefits for citizens, running in pilot districts
- More than 10,000 CCTV cameras installed at every police station as ordered by India’s Supreme Court
- Command and control centers set up across new districts for better coordination
- Traffic cameras and networks in Hyderabad and Cyberabad, improving how roads are monitored
- Facial recognition technology tested even during recent elections, under the supervision of the State Election Commission
These achievements point to a move toward a fully digital law enforcement system. Smart policing is not just about data on crimes; it covers areas like public health, traffic, city planning, and even how elections run safely.
A Balancing Act: New Tools and Personal Rights
Telangana’s efforts are being watched by other states. The rapid speed means new challenges for police and the public alike. What does all this mean for you?
- If you’re a regular citizen: You might have your face scanned during traffic stops, or your data checked in routine encounters with police.
- If you’re arrested: Police will now gather a much wider set of personal data than ever before, including things like voice and eyes.
- Even if you haven’t done anything wrong: Your biometric details might be checked for background clearances for jobs or government programs. And if security is not airtight, that data could be exposed during another breach.
Experts say policymakers must now move just as fast to put in protections as they do in launching new technology. Several steps have been suggested:
- Make sure all sensitive data is stored in a way that cannot be read, even if stolen (encryption)
- Perform independent checks after every data leak
- Write clear rules about how long data is kept before being deleted
- Require judges to watch over new uses of AI or surveillance tools
- Notify all affected people right away if their data is part of a breach
The Criminal Procedure (Identification) Act was designed to give law enforcement stronger tools. But as reported by VisaVerge.com, using these tools without proper protection exposes everyone—including police themselves—to risk.
What Happens Next?
Telangana stands at a crossroads. Policymakers are racing to finish these upgrades by late 2025. Some people see these changes as a model for the rest of India 🇮🇳, while others warn they could be a warning about the dangers of moving too fast.
The key question now is whether innovation and personal rights can both be protected. Good security, clear rules about how information is used, and openness about what happens during data breaches will be needed. If Telangana’s leaders get this balance right, the state could set a positive example for India 🇮🇳 and the world. If not, it could become known as an example of what happens when new technology is introduced without strong enough protections.
In summary, Telangana is quickly moving ahead with big changes to its police systems by putting in place an Automated Multimodal Biometric Identification System as required by the Criminal Procedure (Identification) Act. While this can help police solve crimes, recent hacking events and ongoing legal fights show why better cyber safety and stronger privacy rules are urgently needed. Policymakers now face the difficult task of keeping people safe—while also making sure everyday rights are not lost. For those who want to know more about how these identification laws work, visit the official Criminal Procedure (Identification) Act resource page for full details.
As Telangana enters the last stretch of its digital overhaul, attention remains high on how it will balance faster, smarter policing with the duty to keep personal data safe and support the rights of everyone in the state.
Learn Today
Automated Multimodal Biometric Identification System (AMBIS) → An advanced police tool that collects and analyzes multiple biometrics—face, iris, voice, handwriting, and more—for identification.
Criminal Procedure (Identification) Act → A 2022 Indian law letting police collect and store various biometric data (beyond fingerprints) from suspects and detainees.
Biometric Data → Personal information like fingerprints, facial features, eye scans, and voice samples used to identify individuals uniquely.
Data Breach → A security incident where unauthorized users access and leak sensitive personal or official information, including biometrics.
Facial Recognition → Technology that matches facial images from photos or video with a digital database to identify or verify someone’s identity.
This Article in a Nutshell
Telangana is racing to modernize policing by launching AMBIS, collecting more biometric data than ever. Yet, recent hacks of police apps exposed huge privacy risks. Legal challenges and expert warnings highlight the need for tough safeguards as this digital shift tests whether innovation and civil rights can coexist securely.
— By VisaVerge.com
