Srinagar, 04 January (H.S.): Member of Parliament (MP) Chowdry Mohammad Ramzan strongly pitched for urgent strengthening of forensic science infrastructure in Jammu and Kashmir during a Consultative Committee meeting of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on the National Forensic Sciences University-Central Forensic Science Units (NFSU-CFSU), held today at Port Blair in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

The meeting was chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah and attended by members of the Consultative Committee on Home Affairs, Union Home Secretary and senior officials of the Ministry.

Actively participating in the deliberations, Ramzan highlighted that timely and robust forensic support is critical for justice delivery, security and lasting peace in J&K. He underlined that the Union Territory is witnessing a rise in complex crimes such as cyber offences, drug trafficking, explosives-related cases and weapon-linked crimes, which require swift scientific investigation and credible evidence collection.

Ramzan pointed out that a significant portion of forensic work from J&K is currently dependent on the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL), Chandigarh, leading to delays in investigation and trial. These delays, he said, often result in prolonged court proceedings, bail to accused persons and erosion of public confidence in the justice system. Citing Supreme Court observations, he stressed that speedy trial is a fundamental right under Article 21 and that delays caused by lack of scientific evidence or slow forensic reports are unacceptable.

The MP also flagged limited training capacity of the National Forensic Sciences University (NFSU), headquartered at Gandhinagar, Gujarat, stating that it is inadequate for a country of 1.42 billion people. He argued for establishing new NFSU campuses in strategic regions, with special emphasis on J&K.

Drawing attention to the alarming drug abuse situation in J&K, Ramzan cited a Parliamentary Standing Committee report (August 2023) which estimates that nearly 13.5 lakh people in the UT are affected by substance abuse, including about 1.68 lakh children. He also referred to IMHANS, Srinagar data indicating daily use of over 33,000 syringes by heroin-dependent persons in the Kashmir Valley, terming it a serious public health and security concern. He called for expansion of de-addiction and rehabilitation centres along with skill development and employment opportunities for youth.

To address these challenges, Ramzan proposed setting up a full-fledged NFSU in J&K with dedicated campuses in border districts such as Kupwara, besides modern forensic laboratories in sensitive border areas.

The Ministry assured deployment of 23 mobile forensic units across J&K to enable rapid crime-scene investigation and faster case processing.

The Union Home Minister gave a patient hearing and assured focused attention on modernizing forensic infrastructure and strengthening border districts to enhance security, law enforcement efficiency and public trust.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Krishan Kumar