FORENSIC SCIENCE LABORATORY

physics

• Post-mortem report should be forwarded for cases of death by fall from height and any death in motor vehicle crash.
• The death by falling from roof / height, the point of contact on the ground should be identified and the photograph of the dead person lying on the ground should be taken.
• At the scene of road accident, the skid mark of tyres on the road surface should be measured and photographed.
• Tyre impression on the body or wearing apparels of any victim person should be preserved and photographed.
• Foreign elements like glass, fibre parts, etc. that are lodged in any victim's body during accident should be collected and preserved. Control Samples of the same should also be forwarded along with the above.
• Exchange of paints from one vehicle to another vehicle's surface should be searched, preserved and photographed.
• For soil and dust examination, the control as well as questioned soil / dust should be collected in sufficient amount and should be clearly marked and distinguished. In case of any presence of blood, it should be mentioned without fail.
• For deaths by hanging the knot used for hanging should be kept intact and preserved and P.M. report should be sent.
• For studying mark of violence of wearing apparels, the questioned weapons if found should also be forwarded to the FSL.
• For Copy Right Act cases / T.M. Act cases proper control samples i.e. the original of the counterfeits should be sent along with the questioned samples.

CHEMISTRY

• Solid materials (e.g. cloth materials, debris etc.) suspected to contain any inflammable substance will be preserved in air tight non-reactive plastic packet immediately after collection.
• In cases of arson the unburnt portion of the material stored in godowns / warehouses etc. should be sent as control.
• In cases where it is not possible to collect whole affected remnants from an immovable object, part of remnants from a suitable position or a cotton swab from the affected objects should be collected and preserved accordingly.
• In cases of suspected adulteration of petroleum products like petrol, H.S. Diesel oil, kerosene etc. the substance will be kept in a dry and clean plastic / glass bottle fitted with lid. At least one litre of liquid petroleum product is required for examination and characterization.
• Liquid substances suspected to be acidic or alkaline to be preserved in glass container with hard plastic lid.
• Any cloth materials suspected to contain acidic or alkaline substance to be preserved in dry and clean thick plastic / glass container.
• Sample like cement to be preserved either in dry and clean plastic packet or in plastic container. At least 1 kg of sample is required for examination. For comparison between different cements "Control Sample" should be supplied.
• For analysis of concrete materials at least 2 kg of sample along with control sample where applicable should be supplied.
• For examination and comparison of suspected spurious liquid (e.g. cosmetic goods, edible oil etc.) and solid (e.g. zarda, detergent etc.) a suitable control sample of respective brand to be supplied.
• Samples for examination should be sent immediately after collection.

TOXICOLOGY

• Visceral matter / body fluids (for poison analysis- Stomach, Stomach contents, small intestine, Liver, Kidney etc) should be collected and preserved scientifically by the medical officer. The quantity of Visceral matter / body fluid is as follows: Stomach: as a whole, Stomach content:~100 gm, Small Intestine: 20-35 cm long, Liver:~100 gm, Kidney: one half of each Kidney, Body fluid: ~20 ml.
• In case of preservation of biological matter, saturated solution of Sodium Chloride (common salt) should be used as preservative. In cases of acid poisoning, rectified spirit should be the preservative for visceral matter.
• For suspected case of Alcohol poisoning, Blood (5-10 ml) should be preserved using Fluoride / Liquid Paraffin. Urine sample (5-10 ml) can be directly sent for Alcoholic analysis.
• In case of carbon monoxide poisoning, 10-20 ml blood should be collected using liquid Paraffin as preservative and should be kept in an air tight container.
• For gaseous poisoning (Carbon monoxide, Coal Gas, Hydrocyanic acid, Ammonia, Hydrogen Sulphide etc) in general, blood samples and lung tissues should be collected and preserved.
• In case of suspected poisoning by heavy metals (Arsenic, Antimony, Lead, Mercury, Cadmium etc) and the sample of scalp Hair, Nail cutting / scraping, long bones (Femur) should be preserved and forwarded.
• Cases having history of drug poisoning (barbiturates / opium / anesthetics etc) the nails, hairs, brain, spinal chord should be preserved and forwarded along with viscera.

Important Documents which should be submitted along with Viscera Box:

• A copy of the Surathal report, F.I.R if available and brief facts of the case submitted by the police and case sheet viz, name, sex, and age of the deceased and time at which P.M. examination was carried out, and account of final illness and list of drugs to which the deceased has accessed.
• A copy of the Autopsy (P.M.) report with detailed observations and findings. It should also clearly mention the specific type of the poison or drugs for the detection, for which the viscera is sent and also mention if any additional analysis is required. If there is any previous analysis/ medical treatment done, reference should also be mentioned.
• A forwarding letter by the I.O. requesting to examine the submitted sample and informing the findings to the medical officer and indicating the viscera box is transported by the constable authorized to do so.
• An authorization letter from a Magistrate or relevant officer to the Chemical Examiner to examine the viscera.
• If possible, the statement of the witness relating the symptoms developed and the behavior of the deceased before death. This is not mandatory but can save the examination time of the expert.

BIOLOGY

• Copy of P.M. report (injury report / medical examination report of the victim / medical examination report of the accused person)
• Blood and blood stains: Following instructions must be followed while collecting blood stained articles. Fresh and moist stains on clothing, sheets, blankets etc. should be spread out and thoroughly dried at room temperature.
• The stained portions should be separated by clean sheets of white paper to protect the stain from contamination with the rest of the exhibit.
• If blood is found in large quantities, the excess may be soaked in a filter paper or a clean white cloth. The sample should be dried in shade (not in sun) at room temperature, but avoiding artificial heating. An unstained portion of filter paper or cloth should be sent separately as a control sample. The control sample should be collected and packed before collecting the blood stained sample to avoid contamination.
• In case the article is big in size, unstained portion (as control) and stained portion (sample of interest) may be cut after proper documentation.
• The same procedure may be adopted for fresh moist stains on solid objects such as weapons, wood, plaster, automobile etc.
• Dried stain on clothing's sheets, blankets etc should be sent as it is, separating the stained and unstained portions with clean white paper.
• In the case of dried blood stain on solid objects, the entire object should be sent to the laboratory. if it is not possible, scrape off the stain, as much as possible, avoiding scraping the solid object underneath, and placed the scrapping in a clean test tubes or take the swab in cotton wool / sterile gauge.
• If the blood is found on earth, it should be scooped deep enough, to ensure collection of the soaked serum.
• The blood and blood stains on the body of the person should be removed with the help of a piece of filter paper, cotton, or a clean piece of cloth, moistened with normal saline. The stain thus obtained should then be dried in shade and packed in a suitable container.
• Blood sticking to the nail should be removed carefully by clipping the nails.
• For determining the blood group it is necessary to send a control specimen. A portion of unstained area of the stain should also be sent as a control to the laboratory.
• Semen and Saliva: The stain should be allowed to dry at room temperature. The entire object should be sent to the laboratory. Care should be taken to see that the stained areas are not folded. The control samples of saliva should be collected on separate sterile clean piece of cloth / gauge or cotton wool from the victim and suspected persons.

BALLISTICS

• Pre-requisites of registration of Ballistics cases in FSL
• The name of the deceased, sex, and age are to be invariably mentioned in case of Biological / P.M. materials
• Seals on exhibits must be affixed with the specimen lac seal
• Control samples should be sent wherever necessary
• The labels bearing case reference and markings should be authenticated by the forwarding authority with rubber stamp impressions of designation affixed on them.
• The sealed exhibits then prepared should accompany the following documents-
• Forwarding Memo duly filled in
• Legible copy of the P.M. examination / injury report duly attested.
• The firearm should be packaged in a cardboard box, envelope, or paper bag separately from the ammunition and / or magazine.
• The cartridges, cartridge cases, and / or bullets found at the crime scene should be packaged separately and placed in paper envelopes or small cardboard cases.
• Keep notes on the condition of the weapon as found and the steps taken to render it as safe as possible without damaging potential evidence.