Robust forensic science regime a must to deal with crimes: CM Himanta

GUWAHATI: In continuation of the Government of Assam’s initiatives to augment the investigative capabilities of the law enforcement agencies in the State, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Thursday, at a ceremony held at the Assam Secretariat Complex, flagged off the first batch of ‘mobile forensic vans’, numbering seven, meant for the Directorate of Forensic Science.

Speaking at the event, the Chief Minister exuded confidence that the mobile forensic vans flagged off today will contribute immensely to Assam Police’s forensic evidence collection capabilities, which in turn will lead to a significant increase in conviction rates in the days to come. It is often seen that undertrials accused of serious criminal offences go scot-free owing to a lack of adequate evidence to support the conviction, the Chief Minister remarked, adding that the mobile forensic vans, equipped with state-of-the-art equipment and tools, will help the law enforcement agencies reach crime scenes at the earliest and would enable the investigators to collect and securely preserve crucial evidence and ensure the same are not contaminated.

Moreover, adequate numbers of resource persons and forensic experts shall be allocated for each of these vans, he said. A greater number of such mobile forensic vehicles shall be provided to the law enforcement agencies in the days to come, the Chief Minister added.

Speaking about the importance of forensic evidence in convictions under the criminal justice system, the Chief Minister said it is imperative that a robust forensic science regime be in place in the state to deal with crimes ranging from murder to drug trafficking, to name a few. Keeping this objective in mind, the government decided to establish four regional forensic science laboratories across the state, of which three are already operating.

The Chief Minister said as many as 400 police personnel from the state police force are being trained at the Ahmedabad-based National Forensic Science University on forensic science, and the expertise they gain through this would prove immensely helpful in solving complex cases requiring the application of sophisticated forensic science techniques.

The event was also attended by Education Advisor to the Government of Assam Dr. Noni Gopal Mahanta, Chief Secretary Paban Kumar Borthakur, Director General of Police GP Singh, and a host of other senior officials of the government, stated a press release.

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