Rapid DNA Profiling Identifies All 19 Victims Following Nagpur Devastating Explosives Factory Blast.

Nagpur (Maharashtra): In a marathon accomplishment of forensics, the Regional Forensic Science Lab (RFSL) at Nagpur managed to complete the DNA profiling of the 19 victims of the gruesome explosion in an explosives factory in a record time of 24 hours, which brought much-needed relief to the families of the victims.

This tragedy happened at the SBL Energy Limited plant of Raulgaon village in the Kalmeshwar tehsil of Nagpur district in the morning of March 1. A huge explosion tore through the detonator packing unit of the company, killing dozens of workers and devastating the premises. Early reports have indicated that the bodies were burnt to ashes, and the police had to utilise high-tech forensic methods to identify the bodies.

The RFSL team, headed by the Director, Dr Vijay Thakare and the Deputy Director, Ashwin Gedam, started gathering DNA samples on the fragmented remains at the Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) mortuary during the latter part of Sunday evening. The team, who worked all night, finished DNA profiling by 5 p.m. on Monday, and found all the 19 victims in a matter of about 23 hours, an extremely fast turnaround by any standards of a complex disaster’s victim identification exercise. The police recruited more forensic experts, toxicology, and explosives teams to conduct analyses on the viscera and blast triggers. A specialised mobile forensic van was also used to help in gathering evidence, both at the blast location and the hospital, with a mortuary team doing tedious work in preparing the remains to be handed out to the families with respect.

More than 20 others were also injured in the blast, most of them being in critical condition, and patients were admitted to Nagpur hospitals under intensive care. Rescue and medical aid were provided with the assistance of state emergency response teams, including people of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF).

The cause of the explosion has been investigated, which has led to the arrest of nine directors of SBL Energy Limited, and a case has been initiated in the form of Section 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Those involved in the Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO) and the Defence Information System for Security (DISS) have raised concerns about the possibility of safety breaches in the plant, and this has led to a thorough investigation that has been commissioned by the Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

The families of the victims would also appreciate the fact that the rapid nature of the DNA identification would have given them an opportunity to finally administer last rites and commence with the grieving process. The accident has once again brought up the issue of industrial safety standards in the high-risk industries, and the investigators and regulators are now under pressure to ensure that such tragedies are averted in future.