Dharamsala lab to have DNA testing facility soon

Bhanu P Lohumi

Tribune News Service

Shimla, November 12

The DNA testing facility, which is so far available only at the State Forensic Laboratory, Junga (Shimla), will be opened at the Regional Forensic Science Laboratory (Northern Range), Dharamsala, shortly.

The Union Government has sanctioned Rs 1.55 crore under the Modernisation of Police Forces Scheme for the purchase of DNA sequencer and biorobot. Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur will lay the foundation of NDA block at Regional Forensic Science Laboratory (RFSL) in Dharamsala on Tuesday.

The DNA facility was introduced at the State Forensic Laboratory (SFL), Junga, in 2008 in pursuance to recommendation of the first meeting of the Himachal Pradesh Forensic Science Development Board in 2005.

Earlier, DNA cases were referred outside the state to the Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics, Hyderabad, andCentral Forensic Science Laboratory, Kolkata which was causing inconvenience to investigation agencies to get DNA analysis reports in time.

With the awareness among investigation agencies, the demand for DNA testing has increased manifold in the state, necessitating the facility at Regional Forensic Laboratories as well.

With the facility, the cases of Chamba Una and Kangra districts will be analysed in Dharamsala, which will fast-track the criminal justice delivery system. “We have already recruited an expert and the facility will become operational by the end of the year,” Director, SFL, Junga, Dr Arun Sharma said.

As per the National Crime Record Bureau data for crime statistics for 2016, a woman is raped every 13 minutes while six women are gang-raped every day. In the infamous Gudiya case, the forensic lab provided the investigative lead in the form of DNA report to the agency and helped it reach the perpetrator.

Director, SFL, Arun Sharma said the facility was also planned for the RFSL, Mandi, and Himachal will thus become the first state in the country to have the DNA facility in all forensic labs.