PANAJI
Police investigations to find possible foul play in mysterious deaths or establish if poisoning was due to drugs or some other toxic substance may never be the same again in Goa, where investigators were mostly left with inconclusive autopsy reports and had to wait for stretches of one to three months, sometimes even nine, to get final chemical analysis results of body fluids and visceras from outstation forensic science laboratories.
The 'Randox' analyzer machine, installed at the Forensic Science and Toxicology department of the Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMC&H) in early November last year here on will serve to scan traces of 21 drugs and give results in half-an-hour.
Sources in the GMC&H said the machine is now part of standard procedure in autopsy examinations conducted by coroners at the forensic department.
It has often been the case, especially in medico-legal cases of intense public debate, such as the infamous Scarlette Keeling case of over a decade ago or the more recent 'murder' of BJP politician Sonali Phogat at Anjuna in August last year, that police investigators had to wait for months to get final reports from FSLs to carry forward their probes.
"The quickness of the test results can also help in providing the data to families of the victim and resolve the mystery of the death which normally riles up the local community," a senior doctor at GMC&H's forensic department said.
May not eliminate
role of FSLs (sub head)
Doctors as well as some criminal law experts, however, opined that the new machine may not eliminate the role of FSLs and the standard practice of sending visceras to these laboratories outside the State will continue.
A senior lawyer said, it is new technology and it may take some time for all sides -- prosecution, defence and the judges -- to unanimously accept the tests as prosecutable evidence.
Tests for clinical
diagnosis and prognosis
The 'Randox' analyzer machine could also help in treatment of survivors of drug overdose and poisoning admitted to the GMC.
"The quick results certainly help doctors tailor treatment including administering antidotes depending on which substance is revealed by the test," said another GMC doctor.
