In the presence of Chief Minister of Karnataka B.S. Yediyurappa, a state-of-art State Forensic Lab was inaugurated at Madiwala on Friday. According to the Twitter post posted by DGP Karnataka, the lab is equipped with DNA, narcotic, cyber, chemical and Ballistic labs and this will be a major step in the direction of scientific investigations.
It was reported sometime back that an upgraded forensic sciences and technology laboratory was being contemplated by the State government as timely innovation and improvisation in the field of forensic sciences is extremely important to deal with the new-age criminals. Plans were on to include an exclusive ballistic room that would enable the investigating officers to crack complicated criminal cases, which has now become a reality. Cybercrimes will now be easier to solve as the laboratory will deal efficiently with the crimes.
How the new forensic lab is equipped?
The laboratory already housed lie-detection technology, which was being used to get some of India's most high-profile criminals and people accused of crimes to cough up the truth and now it gets even better.
Until now, the narcotics cases were being referred to the chemical section and earlier plans stated that sections were to be set up under the digital forensic division like cyber, mobile and audio-video sections.
The laboratory already housed about 10 different divisions like physical, chemical, questioned documents, toxicology, firearms, biology/serology, forensic psychology, photography, DNA and cyber forensics. These divisions were located on a two-storey building and with the new laboratory inaugurated; it is likely that the divisions will be shifted to the new building. It is estimated that the new facility is expected to help the directorate in disposing of the cases faster and more efficiently.
Several cases were pending due to inadequate facilities. The directorate saw a rise in the number of cases that it had to handle.