Date:17/10/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/10/17/stories/2008101759851000.htm

Tamil Nadu

DNA analysis facility planned in Madurai

Special Correspondent

CHENNAI: The Forensic Department will soon establish a Deoxyribo Nucleic Acid (DNA) analysis facility at its regional laboratory in Madurai at a cost of Rs.2.5 crore.

This is in addition to the document division that was opened there recently.

Director (in charge) C. Vijayakumar said the facility would help in identification of bodies and the paternity of children.

As a first step towards creating the state-of-the-art scientific investigation facilities in the State, equipment for conducting lie-detector tests, narco-analysis and brain-mapping would be set up on the premises of the Directorate.

“We hope to have the facility in a couple of months. Earlier, such tests were conducted in Bangalore. A special team of forensic experts has been trained in conducting lie-detector tests. We have proposed to purchase equipment at a cost of Rs.1.5 crore,” he said.

Mr. Vijayakumar said scientists had concluded that waste oil and inflammable material were used in the series of murders that took place in Chennai recently. “We are providing in-service training to police personnel at the forensic centres in all districts in the application of scientific aid to investigation and gathering of vital evidence at the crime scene.”