19-member team from India begins DNA testing in Nepal
New Delhi: A 19-member team of DNA experts from India has begun a painstaking task of collecting, preserving and analysing biological samples to identify hundreds of victims of the devastating flash floods in Nepal, and ultimately helping authorities in returning the bodies to their relatives
A 19-member team of Indian DNA experts has commenced the laborious task of collecting and analyzing biological samples from victims of the catastrophic flash floods in Nepal. The delegation, consisting of 10 members from the National Forensic Sciences University (NFSU) in Gandhinagar and nine from the Central Forensic Sciences Laboratory (CFSL) in Delhi, is led by Bhargav Patel, head of NFSU's Centre of Excellence in DNA Forensics.
Collaborating with Nepalese authorities, including the Nepal Police's Central Forensic Science Laboratory, the team is focusing on collecting samples from the mutilated bodies and from individuals searching for their loved ones. Dr. SO Junare, NFSU's campus director, explained that the Indian team's role is to document bodies, assign identification numbers, collect biological samples, and assist in the return of remains to relatives, thereby aiding authorities in the identification process.
The team's expertise also extends to the identification of victims from the Air India Flight 171 crash near Ahmedabad, where they utilized a software called Combined DNA Index System (CODIS), administered by the FBI. In the aftermath of the August 26 disaster, over 600 bodies remain unidentified in Nepal, making the identification process a meticulous and respectful endeavor.
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