I n common parlance, very often it is presumed that the objective of Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) is all about tracing and analysing the finger prints of a suspected criminal supposed to be involved in a crime or as is very often shown in Hindi movies, producing in courts evidences about identification of fire arms/ type of weapons used etc as that plays a critical role in crime investigation. Perhaps with that notion, such an important mechanism to examine and analyse evidentiary materials in various areas and angles of a crime, the UT Government has neither come up to the expectations of Ministry of Home Affairs nor the recommendations in respect of the Forensic Science made during DGP/IGP conference held last year in updating and modernising the working of the FSLs in Jammu and Kashmir. Nature of crimes is changing day by day, criminals are becoming high tech and new type of crimes keep taking place with which the crime determination and cracking mechanism based on scientific analysis has to keep pace. That requires fully trained and qualified staff to deal with crimes professionally, effectively and scientifically as well. In addition to all this, situation differs from state to state in matters of crimes , their types and frequency for which the scientific and technical mechanism to collect cogent evidence admissible in courts based on proper examination and analysis with the latest tools, is the need of the day. Taking the case of Jammu and Kashmir, although recommendation in respect of arranging such facility at each district is implemented in principle but who heads such district units matters and when it is learnt that such district units are generally headed by non- technical and non -qualified persons, it can be safely construed that the exercise was nothing less than a hogwash. We have, many a time, incidences of detonation of explosives by militants for which while collecting evidence, forensic explosives experts are required for investigative purposes and when there are no trained and qualified personnel available, the working of this organisation is practically meaningless. In other words, what plagues the FSL is the absence of trained and professional man-power which, as a natural corollary, impairs and impacts adversely its performance hence cracking of crimes and the resultant prosecution and conviction rates. There is an institution catering to training and grooming of the personnel required for our FSL known as National Forensic Sciences Universities. Whether required help is sought from it in matters of providing the requisite trained manpower or not to the mobile NFSU is not known but the mobile units ”performing” their role manned by a Laboratory Assistant and a few police personnel is quite astonishing. We do not put any blame on the Directorate of the FSL for the mess and rather the ruse created but definitely the UT Home Department is to clarify the situation as to why such a casual approach especially in matters of not manning the FSL and related units at district levels by trained and professional personnel is prevalent. Can we expect non professional and non qualified police personnel performing chemical, biological and microscopic analysis on evidence taken from the crime scenes which in normal course only forensic science technicians can do ? Therefore, whether there is a unit at district level or not, it is one and the same thing. That is absolutely unaffordable in the Union Territory vulnerable to host of crimes of different hues. In respect of eprosecution and e-forensic projects too, there is no progress worth reporting or recording, reasons of which are known only to the top hierarchy of Police force. Moreover, in matters of filing of FIRs, particularly in respect of crimes against vulnerable sections like women and children with sheer professionalism of the concerned police personnel supposed to handle such matters getting duly reflected, is yet to be watched taking place in a routine way. Various crime control strategies with respect to geographical and temporal aspects, data and findings are all appearing on papers only. Unless adequate training, sensitization, familiarities with scientific and latest ways of crime detection and prevention, adequate infrastructure in forensic laboratories manned by qualified and professional personnel are all ensured with periodic critical appraisals taking place , much of changes and turnaround shall keep on being as unrealised goals. Hence, empowering and energizing Forensic Science Laboratories and district units thereof by way of providing the trained and qualified manpower and the equipment must be Government’s priority.
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