Maharashtra Taps AI to Combat Illegal Immigration: A New Tool to Distinguish Bengali Nationals
Image Source: Internet
The Maharashtra government, in collaboration with IIT Bombay, is developing an AI-powered tool to help identify suspected illegal Bangladeshi nationals and Rohingyas in the state. The tool, a language-based verification system, will analyze speech patterns, tone, and linguistic usage to aid law-enforcement agencies during preliminary identification. The ₹3-crore project aims to create a reliable initial screening step before police conduct full nationality investigations based on documents. Officials claim the system will use linguistic markers to distinguish Bangladeshi nationals from Bengali-speaking residents of West Bengal, who may share similar dialects and accents. However, experts note that the linguistic overlap between West Bengal and Bangladesh can make identification challenging. To address this, the AI tool will rely on accent, tone, and word choices to make distinctions. Once the tool indicates that a suspected person may not be from West Bengal, enforcement agencies can proceed with further investigation to establish nationality through documentary verification. The tool is currently in the experimental phase, with a reported 60% reliability rate. The government aims to improve its accuracy to 100% within the next six months. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has stated that the tool will help identify and deport 100% Bangladeshis, building on the state's previous efforts to tackle immigration. The government has also set up a detention centre to hold persons awaiting deportation. Fadnavis has highlighted the need to address the issue of infiltrators, who often enter West Bengal, obtain forged documents, and then travel to other parts of the country, accessing government schemes.
