The Uttar Pradesh Police (UPCOP) mobile app has recently gained attention due to the inclusion of unusual professions in its tenant verification section. Professions such as ‘drug smuggles’, ‘gambler’, ‘bootlegger’, and ‘beggar’ were listed, eliciting amusement and confusion among social media users.
The Uttar Pradesh police have acknowledged the issue and attributed it to master data obtained from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB). The UPCOP app, which allows users to file complaints, FIRs, and flag cases of looting and cybercrime, utilizes data from the NCRB to specify the type of offences under different IPC sections. The tenant verification feature is used by landlords while renting out properties, and the database is sourced from the NCRB data.
The police have stated that they are aware of the issue and are taking it up with the concerned agencies to rectify the anomaly. The UPCOP app, developed by the Uttar Pradesh government, was launched a few years ago to facilitate smooth online services for police assistance. It allows users to file complaints, FIRs, and flag cases of looting and cybercrime. The tenant verification feature is also used by employers for employee verification.
