THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Every major crime these days has a digital element. Gadgets like mobile phones, laptops, tablets, even drones, form a chunk of the material evidence seized during a probe, and unlocking these devices and analysing the data becomes a vital aspect of the investigation as well as prosecution.
In Keralam, the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) under the police department mostly shoulders this burden.
However, manpower crunch, surge in cases and rising use of high-end gadgets in crimes have overburdened it. As a result, the backlog has crossed 10,000 cases, some of them several years old.
Each year, the FSL, which has a state unit in Thiruvananthapuram, regional units in Kochi, Kannur and Thrissur and 14 district units, receives gadgets linked to nearly 8,000 cases. Despite its staff working overtime, sometimes up to 12 hours a day, for six days a week, the FSL is able to generate reports in only about 2,500-3,000 cases.
The primary issue is the shortage of hands, say sources privy to FSL’s working. “The FSL has a sanctioned strength of 201 staff, of which 59 posts were added just two years back. It is not enough,” said a source. “The state registers the highest number of cases in the country. It registered 5.5 lakh cases in 2025, of which nearly two lakh were criminal cases. Most have a digital element and hence, the FSL is stretched thin.”
Insiders said FSL provided reports in nearly 250 cases in September. “For this, it examined more than 1,000 devices. This comes to an average of four gadgets per case. In sensational cases, the number grows to 20-25 gadgets, a tough ask for the lab with insufficient staff,” said a source.
Sources said though they rely on cutting-edge tools, they at times struggle with sophisticated gadgets. While devices made in China are easily decrypted, latest Apple and Samsung phones pose a headache. “Since these companies regularly release new models, our tools at times become obsolete. Cracking passwords of such gadgets takes time,” said a source.
Time for urgent update?
The FSL has a sanctioned strength of 201 employees
Each year, the lab receives devices linked to nearly 8,000 cases for analysis. The staff are able to clear only 2,500-3,000 cases a year
