As a doctor, I have had the opportunity to travel to many countries. My first international visits were to Singapore and Malaysia.
One thing deeply caught my attention during those trips — from the moment I entered my own country’s airport until I arrived abroad, my fingerprints of all ten fingers and my retina scan were taken everywhere.
In other words, as an international traveller, my biometric information is stored in different systems.
Now the question is, if I had accidentally died somewhere without carrying any documents, my identity could still have been confirmed through fingerprint or retina scans alone. Technology today is advanced enough for that.
But sadly, in Kenya, a person was reportedly kept in a morgue for 20 days identified only as an “Indian,” yet the authorities could not properly confirm the real identity.
What is even more concerning is that visible injuries on the head could be seen in the photographs, while the police reportedly stated that there were only minor marks on the hand. Such inconsistencies naturally raise questions in people’s minds.
In today’s world, there should be no substitute for proper investigation, transparency, and the use of modern technology in identifying a person and determining the true cause of death.
Once the passport details could be retrieved through fingerprint identification, it should have been possible for the authorities to trace the individual’s movements step by step.
By reviewing airport CCTV footage, investigators could identify who received the person at the airport, who accompanied them, which vehicle they entered, and where they travelled afterwards. Modern surveillance systems are capable of tracking these movements quite effectively.
Similarly, using the IMEI number, it is not very difficult to determine which mobile devices were used, which SIM cards were inserted, and with whom communication took place. Investigators can also analyse call records and digital activity to build a clearer timeline.
In many countries, including ours, law enforcement agencies can even verify WhatsApp-linked phone numbers through cooperation with platforms under Meta Platforms when required for investigations.
Therefore, with the technology available today, identifying a person and tracing their last movements should not be impossible if a proper and transparent investigation is conducted.
