The 'Gujarat Police Innovation Challenge 2026' concluded in Ahmedabad, focusing on integrating AI with CCTV to enhance public safety and save police 'human hours'. The event saw over 3,100 registrations and the launch of new digital initiatives.

The valedictory ceremony of the ‘Gujarat Police Innovation Challenge 2026’ (Sentinel Hackathon 2026) concluded at i-Hub in Ahmedabad on Tuesday, marking a significant milestone in the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and CCTV infrastructure for public safety. The two-day event, described as India’s largest AI-CCTV hackathon, saw enthusiastic participation from innovators, startups, and researchers nationwide.

Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi, who presided over the ceremony, emphasized that the initiative is aimed at adopting a human-centric approach to policing. “This challenge is not merely about technological infrastructure; it is about saving the ‘human hours’ of our police personnel through AI and software integration. By reducing the workload on officers, we aim to improve the quality of their social and family lives,” said Deputy Chief Minister Sanghavi.

Hackathon Highlights and Participation

He highlighted that the hackathon received over 3,100 registrations and 1,000 innovative solutions. The winning teams in Phase 1 were awarded a total of ₹18 lakh in cash prizes. The total prize pool for the initiative, spanning both phases, stands at ₹51 lakh.

For the first time in India, participants demonstrated practical solutions using live CCTV feeds, including real-time automatic number plate recognition, vehicle tracking, and watchlist matching.

Technology in Modern Law Enforcement

Addressing the gathering, State Police Chief G. S. Malik underscored the importance of technology in modern law enforcement. "Integrating the state's CCTV network with AI and video analytics will help in preventing crimes, identifying suspicious individuals, and generating real-time alerts, taking proactive policing to new heights," Malik stated.

New Digital Initiatives Launched

During the event, two key digital initiatives developed by the Ahmedabad City Crime Branch were launched:

‘Prati Raksha’: Described as the country’s first UIDAI-recognized, consent-based digital identity verification system.

‘Pathik 2.0’: A system designed for the accurate identity verification of employees in hotels, PGs, and industrial units using real-time QR codes and face verification.

The event was attended by Additional Chief Secretary (Higher and Technical Education) Mukesh Kumar, Principal Secretary (Home) Sanjeev Kumar, Ahmedabad Police Commissioner Anupam Singh Gehlot, and Vadodara Police Commissioner Narsimha Komar, among other senior officials.

Government officials noted that the ‘Sentinel Hackathon’ serves as a platform to unify CCTV cameras from various state departments onto a single, data-driven platform, setting a new benchmark for smart policing in the country.

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