Crime investigation in Mumbai is set to get a boost, as the Directorate of Forensic Science Laboratory, Kalina, will get India's first Rapid DNA testing machine. It'll analyse samples in three hours, and speed up crime detection
Currently, it takes more than eight days to get the results of a DNA exam at the Kalina Forensic Science Laboratory. File pic
Crime investigation in Mumbai is set to get a boost, as the Directorate of Forensic Science Laboratory, Kalina, will get India's first Rapid DNA testing machine. This will help analyse samples in three hours, which will help in faster examination of crime and decrease the pending cases.
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Current situation
Every month, the laboratory gets around 25 cases of unclaimed bodies, and many of them are decomposed. This is the biggest obstruction in identifying the person. In such cases, DNA analysis is an option, but due to the huge backlog, the reports come late.
In the laboratory currently, it takes more than eight days to get the results of a DNA exam. This delays investigation and often creates trouble to collect evidence. Considering this, the biggest state-run forensic laboratory in the country at Kalina, will procure the machine.
Will help decrease burden
"Three US-based companies supply the machine. We zeroed in on one company and the final letter for approval has been sent to the state government, which has provided the green signal. Soon, we will get the machine that will help in decreasing the burden of pending cases, and make investigations more efficient," said Dr Krishna Kulkarni, Director, Directorate of Forensic Science Laboratory, Maharashtra.
The machine will cost around Rs 3 crore. It will be used to analyse samples of crime cases like unclaimed dead bodies, accident cases, and sexual assault cases.
"We also get cases about parenting where DNA analysis is required to prove if a child is that of a particular person. But the primary focus will be on solving crime cases that need DNA reports at the earliest for investigation," said Dr Kulkarni.
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