India's DNA Forensics Team Begins Work to Identify Nepal Flood Victims

India has stepped up its humanitarian assistance to flood-ravaged Nepal by deploying a specialised forensic team to assist in identifying victims of the recent flash floods. A 10-member field unit has arrived in Nepal and is currently engaged in the delicate task of collecting biological samples from the deceased.

These samples will be transported to the National Forensic Sciences University (NFSU) in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, where a fully prepared laboratory is awaiting their arrival. The university's Centre of Excellence in DNA Forensics is equipped to process over a thousand samples and has placed its specialised infrastructure on alert to handle tooth and skeletal remains recovered from the disaster site.

A 15-member technical crew, comprising forensic experts and wet lab technicians, is on standby in Gandhinagar. Once the initial batches of specimens arrive from Nepal, this team will initiate DNA matching procedures and work around the clock to generate identification reports. University officials have ordered immediate profiling to expedite the process and provide closure to grieving families.

This operation builds on NFSU's prior experience in victim identification, notably during the Air India crash investigation in Ahmedabad, where the laboratory established a rapid and streamlined workflow that is now being applied to the Nepal flood relief effort.