Kerala researcher earns state's first PhD in forensic linguistics, develops Malayalam investigation model

T S Sruthi, a researcher from Kollam district in Kerala, has achieved a significant milestone by earning the state's first PhD in "forensic linguistics". Her work focuses on developing a Malayalam-based model for criminal investigations that analyzes speech patterns, stutters, and language styles to assist law enforcement.

The inspiration came in 2018 when Loknath Behera, then Director General of Police, spoke about the potential of forensic linguistics at a University of Kerala workshop. Behera had earlier witnessed the effectiveness of such systems during his visit to the Chicago Police Department while investigating David Coleman Headley in connection with the 2008 Mumbai attacks.

Sruthi conducted her research at the University of Kerala's Karyavattom campus under the guidance of Assistant Professor S Prema from the Department of Linguistics. Her work represents a pioneering effort to adapt forensic linguistic techniques for Malayalam, potentially making voice analysis a crucial tool in future criminal investigations in Kerala and other Malayalam-speaking regions.