Gujarat Police Hackathon promotes AI innovation for smarter policing

The Gujarat Police Innovation Challenge 2026, also known as Sentinel Hackathon 2026, saw winning teams receive a total of Rs18 lakh in cash prizes at a ceremony held at i-Hub in Ahmedabad for their innovative solutions aimed at strengthening AI-driven smart policing and public safety.

VIDEO | Ahmedabad: The two-day Gujarat Police Innovation Challenge 2026 (Sentinel Hackathon 2026) concluded at i-Hub in the presence of Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi. The event brought together innovators, startups and technology experts from across the country to develop AI-powered solutions integrating live CCTV feeds for smarter policing and enhanced public safety. Winning teams in Phase 1 were awarded cash prizes totalling Rs 18 lakh for their innovative technological solutions. (Source: Third Party) #Gujarat

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) October 13, 2026

Deputy Chief Minister Harsh Sanghavi presided over the valedictory ceremony of the two-day event, which brought together innovators, startups and researchers from across the country to develop artificial intelligence (AI)-based solutions using CCTV infrastructure.Emphasising a human-centric approach to policing, Sanghavi said the initiative aimed to reduce the workload of police personnel through the integration of AI and software with existing technological infrastructure.“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,” he said.Sanghavi said the challenge received more than 3,100 registrations and attracted 1,000 innovative solutions. The winning teams in Phase 1 received Rs18 lakh in total cash prizes, while the overall prize pool for the initiative, covering both phases, stands at Rs51 lakh.

Ahmedabad, Gujarat: On the Gujarat Police Innovation Challenge 2026, Deputy CM Harsh Sanghavi says, "The Gujarat Police has organised the country’s largest-ever challenge on CCTV integration. Universities, startups and young people participated on a massive scale, working in groups to present proposed solutions for integrating thousands of cameras across the state, from villages to cities..."

— IANS (@ians_india) October 13, 2026

Described as India’s largest AI-CCTV hackathon, the event provided participants with an opportunity to demonstrate practical applications using live CCTV feeds. These included real-time automatic number plate recognition, vehicle tracking and watchlist matching, showcasing how AI could support faster identification and monitoring.
State Police Chief (DGP) G. S. Malik highlighted the growing role of technology in modern law enforcement and said integrating the state’s CCTV network with AI and video analytics could help police identify suspicious individuals, prevent crimes and generate real-time alerts.He said the initiative would support a shift towards proactive policing by enabling officers to respond more effectively to potential security threats.

In the presence of Hon. Dy. CM Shri Harsh Sanghavi, the finale of India’s largest Gujarat Police Innovation Challenge – Sentinel Hackathon 2026 was held at i-Hub, Ahmedabad. A historic step towards Smart Policing through AI and CCTV integration, with winning teams in Phase 1 receiving prizes worth ₹18 lakh for innovative real-time surveillance solutions.

— DGP Gujarat (@dgpgujarat) October 13, 2026

The hackathon also aims to bring CCTV cameras operated by different state government departments onto a unified, data-driven platform, allowing information to be analysed more efficiently for public safety and law enforcement.
During the ceremony, two digital initiatives developed by the Ahmedabad City Crime Branch were launched: ‘Prati Raksha’ and ‘Pathik 2.0’.‘Prati Raksha’ was described as the country’s first UIDAI-recognised, consent-based digital identity verification system. The initiative is intended to facilitate identity verification through a consent-based process.‘Pathik 2.0’ has been designed to improve identity verification for employees working in hotels, paying guest (PG) accommodations and industrial units. The system uses real-time QR codes and facial verification to support identity checks.The initiatives reflect the state police’s efforts to use digital tools to strengthen verification processes and improve operational efficiency.
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 said the Sentinel Hackathon provides a platform for innovators and law enforcement agencies to collaborate on practical technology solutions for policing.

(State Correspondent)