KOCHI: The state police chief is unhappy with police officers not sending foreign biological evidence in murder and sexual assault cases on time for DNA profiling, which is affecting the progress of investigations.DGP Anil Kant has issued an order directing the officers to strictly adhere to the protocols in evidence collection while probing sexual offence and murder cases.
“While conducting medical test of injured /victims in sexual offence related cases and at the time of autopsy of dead bodies some shortcomings are noticed recently. If foreign biological particles are detected during autopsy or in crime-scene examination or at the time of medical examination of victims, the investigation officers are not forwarding it for DNA profiling at once or not making discussions with scientific officers about the possibility of conducting DNA examination which result in valuable evidence lost forever,” the police chief said in his order, sent on November 21 to all police officers in the state.
Kant was forced to issue such an order after there were certain incidents in which DNA profiling of foreign biological samples couldn’t be conducted due to insufficient quantity or the evidence draining out. “This is adversely affecting the investigation of undetected cases in which the accused is suspected later.
Hence, all the investigating officers are hereby directed to ensure that in all murder/unnatural death/sexual offence cases, if foreign biological particles are detected, request for DNA profiling should be initiated in the initial stage itself and when the articles are sent for analysis, a letter should also be submitted to the scientific officer for preserving sample for performing DNA profiling,” the order added.
A senior forensic officer said timely submission of biological evidence is a must for conducting DNA profiling which plays crucial role in solving a crime. “The evidence should be properly collected and preserved for DNA profiling. It’s a must that such evidence is collected from the crime scene without any delay,” the officer added.