Hyderabad: CipherCop 2026, a national-level hackathon aimed at building technology-driven solutions for policing challenges, has been announced in Hyderabad. The two-day event will take place on November 30 and December 1 at the TGICCC Auditorium, Police Commissionerate Office, Banjara Hills.
The Bureau of Police Research & Development (BPR&D), the Central Detective Training Institute (CDTI), Hyderabad Police Commissionerate, IIIT Hyderabad and ISB Institute of Data Science are jointly organising the initiative. The hackathon will bring together students, start-ups and industry experts to build practical technology solutions for challenges that police personnel have identified.
This year’s event will focus on two key areas. The first is drone surveillance and geospatial mapping, which integrates drone technology and facial recognition for real-time law-and-order monitoring. The second is AI-powered disaster response systems that predict, prepare for and manage natural disasters.
Participants will receive mentorship from experts at IIIT Hyderabad and ISB Hyderabad. They will also get opportunities to collaborate with national and state police organisations.
Selection rounds, prizes and registration
The selection process will begin with online screening rounds on November 20 and 25. The offline grand finale will follow on November 30 and December 1. Winning teams will receive cash prizes, while finalists will get food and accommodation at BPR&D’s CDTI facility in Ramanthapur.
CDTI Hyderabad Director Salmantaj said the initiative would help turn innovative ideas into practical, field-ready tools to improve policing efficiency and disaster response. Hyderabad Police Commissioner V.C. Sajjanar said the hackathon would give young innovators a chance to address real-world policing challenges. He pointed in particular to the need for real-time situational awareness during major public gatherings.
IIIT Hyderabad Professor Ramesh Loganathan and ISB Institute of Data Science Executive Director Manish Gangwar also highlighted the importance of collaboration between police forces, researchers and technology innovators. They said such collaboration helps develop secure and effective solutions. Registrations are open at www.ciphercop.net.