Scientific probe led to conviction in two murders in Odisha
BHUBANESWAR: At a time when forensic science is making rapid advancements, the city police utilised it wisely by leveraging scientific investigation methods to ensure two separate cases of murders ended in conviction.
Owing to effective use of scientific evidence during the trial of one murder case each of Jatni and Chandrasekharpur police stations, life imprisonment was awarded to two persons, said a police officer. Jatni police had registered a case in June, 2021 and arrested one Sukanta Mallik for killing his wife inside their house. It was a tough challenge for the police as there were no eyewitnesses to the crime.
Bhubaneswar DFSL’s scientific officer Sushree Sabinaya along with her team visited the crime scene and detected blood on Mallik’s nails. The blood sample of Mallik’s wife were sent to State Forensic Science Laboratory (SFSL) here for DNA profiling. DFSL officials had also found fingerprints on the knife used in the murder.
The fingerprints on the blood-stained knife matched with the fingerprints of Mallik during examination by the Finger Print Bureau. DNA test and fingerprint reports matched and the court considered them as conclusive evidences.
Similarly, the sensational double murder case registered by Chandrasekharpur police in April, 2022 ended in conviction due to scientific investigation methods. Bijaya Kumar Sethi had murdered his wife and her sister using a sharp weapon.
The forensic team had collected crucial evidences such as blood samples of the two women by using saline extract method as their bodies were in advanced stages of decomposition. Investigators faced a few other challenges during collection of evidences as Sethi’s hands were clean when he was arrested.
However, investigators used chemicals like benzidine and traces of blood were successfully extracted from the nails and hands of Sethi. The blood extracted from his finger nails and blood samples of the two women were sent to SFSL for DNA profiling and they matched.
The capacity of Bhubaneswar DFSL will be upgraded in terms of human resources and modern equipment to provide quality forensic service for probe of vital cases, said ACP Sarat Kumar Sahu.
