The Maharashtra Government launched MARVEL (Maharashtra Advanced Research and Vigilance for Enhanced Law Enforcement) in March 2024, marking India's first dedicated initiative to integrate artificial intelligence into law enforcement.

MARVEL’s mission is to develop AI tools tailored to the specific needs of various police departments, enhancing crime prediction and expediting case resolutions.

"The home department realised that it’s important to introduce AI into law enforcement, largely for the purpose of data analytics and pattern detection," says Harssh Poddar, SP of Nagpur Rural and CEO of MARVEL.

MARVEL is a Special Purpose Vehicle formed through a tripartite agreement between the Maharashtra Government, IIM Nagpur, and Pinaka Technologies Private Limited.

"We are not an investigative agency that is providing help with particular cases. We would design a tool depending upon the requirement of the other agency and then we would hand it over to them," explains Poddar.

AI can analyse large volumes of visual data from CCTV footage to detect patterns that might be missed by humans, aiding in solving cases like chain snatching and burglary.

In hit-and-run cases, AI can scan footage from toll plazas to identify suspect vehicles, identifying the number plates, and narrowing down the investigation to a few leads.

“AI might notice details such as the specific make of a motorcycle, the speed at which it travels, or the type of helmet used by the perpetrator. These subtle patterns can be crucial in solving cases and preventing future crimes,” he adds.

For complex crimes like narcotics and human trafficking, AI's ability to perform relationship mapping and pattern recognition makes it invaluable.

Giving an example, the Nagpur Rural SP states that if a particular police team wants an AI tool to deal with cases of missing people, and share their requirements, MARVEL would design it and share it.

"The AI tools will be able to layer data and give a fair sense of what might have happened. It would give predictive modelling solutions, which officials will then have to interpret," says Sujata Saunik, Chief Secretary of Maharashtra.

As AI technology evolves, MARVEL aims to refine its algorithms, ensuring that AI and human expertise work hand in hand to maintain law and order.