Daijiworld Media Network – Mangalore (SP)

Mangalore, May 24: The team of specialist doctors of the forensic laboratory, Hyderbad, led by Dr Madhusudan, which arrived in the city on Sunday May 23, has begun the task of collecting samples from the bodies of the victims.

DNA test is popularly known as genetic examination. These tests are conducted for various reasons including for helping to resolve court cases, and the courts have been accepting their findings as evidences for delivering their judgments. DNA test has been made necessary here, because of the fact that several charred and mutilated bodies do not bear identification marks or have any identifiable objects on them, making the process of identification very difficult. In certain cases, more than two people have claimed a single body to be of their kin.

“For DNA testing, blood samples are collected from close relatives like father, mother, brother or sister of the deceased. If none of them are available, as a last resort, blood samples of other relatives are collected. Those who give the blood samples, are also photographed,” said Dr Jagannath, Dakshina Kannada district health officer.

Viscera samples of liver, and molar tooth, are collected. If both are not available, samples of the muscle at the thigh and femur bone are collected. They are then sent to Hyderabad in freezers. Although reports are normally expected from out of DNA tests in around two weeks, in this case, the reports will be hurried through, and the relatives can expect to get the reports within a few days, it is learnt.

Till these reports arrive, the unidentified bodies will be continued to be preserved in the mortuaries. After conducting post mortems of these bodies, the hospitals will then deliver the bodies to the relatives. The families of the victims have to seek custody of the bodies through the police station, it is learnt.