Govt approves two forensic vans for quick recovery of evidence

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DELHI POLICE HAS ONE FORENSIC LAB IN ROHINI THAT RECEIVES AROUND 500 SAMPLES FOR TESTING EVERY MONTH

NEW DELHI: The Delhi government, in order to avoid any embar rassment caused by botched investigations due to faulty evidence collection, has finally approved two mobile FSL (Forensic Science Laboratory) vans to collect evidence from crime spots. The mobile FSLs, the government hopes, will reduce the burden on forensic labs.
Delhi has only one forensic lab in Rohini, which receives almost 500 samples every month. While three more labs had been planned, the need of the hour was mobile vans for quick collection of important evidence. These vans would be crucial in transporting samples to the Rohini laboratory.
Sources said the finance and planning department had cleared the proposal that was pending for quite some time and tenders for the vans would be called soon. “Delhi police had demanded four such vehicles but to begin with, we have approved two and depending on their success we will approve two more,” said a senior Delhi government official.

Biological evidence have a shelf life of six months in a preserved form, a fact that forces the Delhi Police to often contact other cities to get evidence tested. “After six months the samples, including blood, DNA and viscera, begin to decay. We have cases pending for many years. In cases of murder or rape, it is important to collect the evidence at the earliest,” said a senior police officer.
Samples of body fluids, DNA samples, finger prints, semen and vaginal swabs, spent bullets, gun powder traces and guns keep arriving every day, making it difficult for the staff to prepare reports in time.
“Though we want mobile vans for each district for the quick collection of evidence, the government has approved only four till now. These vans will be equipped with trained forensic technicians,” the official added.

raj kishor sharma