Forensic lab sees crisis of human resource

Nepalgunj, Oct 28: The Nepalgunj-based Nepal Police Province Office Forensic Science Unit (Laboratory) has so far performed 6,782 sample tests in 2,267 incidents since its establishment.

The sample tests have been made possible despite limited human resource and technology. Among them, 1,552 samples of 502 incidents were tested in the fiscal year 2078/79; 2,440 samples of 799 incidents in the fiscal year 2079/80; 2,186 samples of 747 incidents in the fiscal year 2080/81 and 604 samples of 219 incidents in the fiscal year 2081/82, the Nepal Police Forensic Science Unit, Nepalgunj.

Chief of Forensic Science Unit, Nepalgunj Yamlal Basnet said the laboratory has been conducting pesticide tests related to suspected food, beverages, vomiting, saliva, ‘stomach wash’ among others related to criminal offences and drugs and alcoholism from blood since November 2021. Apart from this, pesticides and other chemical tests from viscera samples and biological samples will also be performed, he said, adding that all physical evidence related to other unnatural deaths will be tested.

Police Inspector Basnet further shared, “Some cases are yet to be resolved due to lack of adequate human resources and technology”. He noted that the laboratory has also made clear to the court through a statement when there was a dilemma in complex cases. The lab’s work burden has increased as they have to look after the cases Karnali and Sudurpaschim apart from Lumbini, but the human resource crunch has marred its scope of work.

Chief Basnet said that it would be easier to work if there is easy access to technology and adequate training. According to the laboratory, there is a plan to expand branches of various disciplines of forensic science in the future and will start testing of drug-related samples immediately.—RSS