Stamp released to commemorate 125 yrs of Finger Print Bureau

Kolkata: Niraj Kumar, Post Master General (Kolkata) in presence of the Director General of Police (DGP) of West bengal, Manoj Malaviya on Monday released a special cover to commemorate the 125 years of the world's oldest finger print bureau in Kolkata.

On Monday before the release of the special cover, Malaviya inaugurated a new building adjacent to the Police Directorate in Bhabani Bhavan from where the finger print bureau will function. After releasing the special cover, 12 former fingerprint experts of the state Criminal Investigation Department (CID) who had retired several years ago were honoured by the state police authorities recognizing their services for the police force.

Malaviya said: "This fingerprint bureau is the oldest in the world and two Bengali police officers were the main architects behind the classification of fingerprints. They are our pride."

During July in 1896 two sub inspectors Azizul Haque and Hemchandra Bose supervised by the then Inspector General of Bengal Edward Henry developed the classification system for cataloging fingerprints which was later called the 'Henry Classification System'.

It may be mentioned that Sir William Herschel was the first person to discover that fingerprint is unique and permanent. Also it can be used for identification of a person.

Apart from Malaviya, Additional Director General (ADG) of CID, R Rajasekaran, IG, CID Pranav Kumar along with other senior IPS officers of the state police were present during the cover release programme.