The police have digitized a vast database of criminal fingerprints, with a staggering 10 million fingerprints now available for investigative use.
Director of the Criminal Records Division SSP Ruwan Kumara said that these digitized fingerprints can be accessed at any time, providing a valuable tool for swift and efficient investigations. The comprehensive database includes fingerprints dating back to 1914, with the earliest recorded print belonging to an individual identified as “Davapaya.”
The first female fingerprint was collected in 1924 in connection with a theft, taken from a woman named Meenachchi.
The digitization of these records means that the fingerprints stored in police systems can now be automatically retrieved and examined in real-time, streamlining the investigative process.
In addition to local criminal investigations this new digitisation could help Police in bringing fugitives from abroad back to the country.
SSP Kumara said Lankan criminals, currently residing in countries such as India, Dubai, Canada and various European nations, including France, and Italy, are being brought back to Sri Lanka through ongoing diplomatic discussions at the state level.
By Norman Palihawadane
