AI tool helps stranded protesters find their way home in the Indian capital

What the report says

Al Jazeera reports that an AI-assisted volunteer network in New Delhi is helping protesters who are detained during recent demonstrations get safely back home after police drop them far from the protest area. The effort, called the Detainee Gharwapsi Yojana, was developed by 25-year-old Rajiv Choudhary and combines a digital dashboard, live mapping and volunteer updates shared through WhatsApp to track police buses and arrange transport, legal help or medical support when needed.

The article says the system has become especially important during youth-led protests in India’s capital over alleged electoral irregularities and the removal of large numbers of names from voter rolls. Authorities have responded with road closures, metro shutdowns and mass detentions, according to Al Jazeera. Choudhary said the project mainly aims to assist minors, older people, women and first-time protesters who may be left stranded in unfamiliar parts of the city.

One 19-year-old woman told Al Jazeera she was taken from central Delhi to an area about 50 kilometers away, then had to walk along a dark road with little money and a dead phone battery before volunteers found her. She said seeing a familiar volunteer from online videos made her feel safe enough to accept a ride home.

Al Jazeera says the network began as a small group and has since grown to more than 130 volunteers. Choudhary hopes to expand the initiative beyond New Delhi.