BALLISTICS DIVISION

This division provides facilities for examination of a variety of samples related to Firearms, such as -

• Firearm:- To ascertain their caliber, make, model, working condition and status of recent firing.
• Cartridge & Cartridge case:- To ascertain their caliber, make, and whether live or not and also to establish a link of the fired cartridge case/ misfired cartridge to the firearm & crime.
• Bullets:- To ascertain their make, caliber, type and to establish a link to the firearm and crime.
• Parts of firearm:- To ascertain their nature, type and whether they come under the Arms Act.
• Pallets/ Wads:- To ascertain their make, size, nature of firearm through which they were discharged and range of firing.

BIOLOGY DIVISION

The examination of varieties of biological samples are undertaken in Biology Division, which includes -

• Skeletal bones:- To determine the origin of species, gender, age, stature etc.
• Hair & Fiber:- To determine the origin, site and individualization.
• Diatom:- For confirmation of death due to drowning.
• Superimposition analysis:- To determine the similarity/difference between skull and photograph.
• Plant materials:- Wood, leaves, fruits, Pollen, finished products etc. for determination of species.
• Animal samples:- Skin, horn hoofs, hair, gall bladder, bones, teeth etc. for determination of species.

CHEMISTRY DIVISION

Facilities for carrying out various types of chemical analysis are available in Chemistry Division. The division deals with the examination of samples like -

• Arson and Fire Residue:- To know the nature and composition of fire accelerants.
• Suspected Petrol, Diesel and other motor oils:- To determine whether the sample is an adulterated or not and also to find the nature and percentage of adulterant.
• Unknown substance in the form of solids, liquids and gases:- To know the qualitative and quantitative composition.
• Suspected Cosmetics, toiletry etc.:- To know whether they conform to the specification of brand or trade mark, or is a spurious one.

DRUGS AND NARCOTICS DIVISION

Drugs and Narcotics is one of the important Divisions in the Directorate of Forensic Science, Assam. This Division examines all the narcotics drugs and psychotropic substances, which fall under NDPS Act. Drugs and Narcotics Division receives number of brown sugar, cannabis, opium and other pharmaceutical drugs samples for analysis.

Pharmaceutical preparations such as propoxyphene, codeine, tranquillizers and sedatives are abused in the North Eastern states of India. The Division analyzes the samples not only in the dosage form but also from the biological fluids.

This Division receives cases not only from states investigating agencies of Assam but also from other states and central investigating agencies such as C.B.N, C.P.F and Excise Dept. etc. Guwahati being the gateway of Northern states, becomes a transit for drugs peddler. So this Division is always ready to combat the drugs menace. This Division is fully equipped with modern state of art instruments. Apart from normal duties, it imparts training to the officers of other Forensic Science Laboratories of the country, law enforcement officers and judicial officers as well. The Division also extends helping hands to the students of various disciplines involving research activities by providing instrumental facilities available in the Division.

EXPLOSIVES DIVISION

In recent times global terrorism has engulfed the entire world. In our country it is also becoming a common phenomenon. Especially in entire North-East it has increased in alarming proportion. To meet the challenges of explosion caused by the different terrorist organizations in this region the Directorate of Forensic Science, Assam has a full fledged explosive division.

The forensic experts in Explosive division are always on their toes to visit anywhere in Assam where explosions take place. Chemical tests relating to explosives and explosive residues are done in this division. The different types of explosives, timing devices, initiating mechanism, etc. used in explosions are identified in this division.

INSTRUMENTATION DIVISION

With the tremendous development in the field of Electronics and Information technology and their subsequent use by major section of our society have resulted in rapid increase of crime in these fields. Today crime related to computers and cyber crime have become a common phenomenon. To help the investigating agencies to cope with the growing rate of cyber crime a Computer Forensic Unit has been established in the Directorate of Forensic Science, Assam. In this unit analysis of data stored in computers are done. Deleted data from computer hard disc is also retrieved to a certain extent in this unit. Retrieval and analysis of data in the memory of mobile phones and SIMs are also done in this unit.

Directorate of Forensic Science, Assam has the proud possession of almost every essential instrument that is being used to carry out analysis in the forensic field.

Sophisticated Instruments like GC, GCMS, LCMS, HPLC, HPTLC, Raman-spectrometer, SEM are regularly used by various divisions for analytical works. To keep these instruments in workable condition is a tough job. Instrumentation division of this laboratory is undertaking maintenance of these sophisticated instruments. Presently this division amalgamated with Digital Forensic Unit. Apart from regular check up and maintenance this division is undertaking repairing of hardware and software parts of the instruments, whenever necessary. As evident this division is not directly involved with examination of case works.

PHOTOGRAPHY DIVISIONINSTRUMENTATION DIVISION

Photography division of this laboratory is playing an important part in Crime Scene Management and Crime Scene Reconstruction by providing still photography to various divisions. Whenever there is incidence of explosions, collision, shootings, arsons, fire, suicide or murder a team of photographer belonging to photography division has to visit the scene of crime along with the other forensic experts. It also provides photographic evidence to the questioned Documents Divisions in helping the document experts to present their opinions properly in the court of law.

PHYSICS DIVISION

The Physics Division takes a vital role in Crime Scene Management and undertakes examination of physical evidence found in the scene of crime / place of occurrence so as to get the most essential breakthrough in the investigation process. The nature of examination, in most of the cases under examination requires an innovative mind and a zeal for proper utilization of different scientific aid. In addition to attending crime scenes, the division also entertains not so common type of examination of physical materials related with the type of crime exhibits of various cases involving IPC, Forest Act, Electricity Act, Motor Vehicle Act, Railway Act, Copyright Act, Patent Act, and Cinematography Act etc. It undertakes the examination of:-

• Glass Fracture Studies:- To know the origin, direction and cause of fracture incase of glass found in POO/CS.
• Paint flakes, wood and smears:- To find the nature composition and matching of the crime exhibit with the control sample.
• Building materials like cements, chips and concrete mortar etc.:- To find out whether the exhibit is as per BIS norms or there is adulteration by unauthorized mixing/blending of any adulterant
• Foot Prints, Shoe Prints, Tyre impression, Logos and tool Marks:- For identification and matching of the samples found as crime exhibits with the control sample.
• Restoration of erased number in any type of gadget:- Investigation of Fire, so as to find the cause of fire, place of origin of fire and the presence of any type of fire initiator in the scene of fire from the collected sample.
• Voice Examination:- From this year, this division has started examination of voice and the task of speaker identification.

QUESTIONED DOCUMENTS DIVISION

• Handwriting identification, detection of forged signature, nitials etc.:- Erasure, Obliteration, alteration, overwriting, hidden writing etc.:- to know any kind of tempering of documents and to decipher the original writing, text etc.
• Typewriting, printed matter and photo copies:- To identify the typewriter printing and photo copying machine involved in a case exhibit of documents.
• Ink and Paper:- to determine the nature and establish whether any tempering of documents took place.
• Stamp Impression:- to ascertain whether or not they are genuine.
• Suspected currency notes:- to establish the genuineness of a currency note suspected to be forged.

SEROLOGY DIVISION

This Division undertakes the examination of:

• Blood, semen, saliva, other body fluids, tissue skin etc.:- To ascertain whether they are of human or animal origin, and in case it is human blood to find out the blood group and their enzymatic characterization.
• DNA Fingerprinting Unit is presently with Serology Division. It carries out examination of cases related with paternity dispute, identification of culprit in sexual assault from body materials such as blood, semen etc. DNA profiling is also used for identification of the victim of child trafficking, identification of body in mass disaster.

TOXICOLOGY DIVISION

This Division takes a vital role in determining the cause of death of unnatural death cases. After post mortem examination if the civil surgeon/police surgeon unable to determine the cause of death then some body organs like stomach with contents, part of lungs, liver, kidney, spleen, brain tissue etc. preserved and send to this division for detection of poisonous substance which may be the cause of death. Moreover, suspected food materials, suspected containers, drinks and exhumed remains etc. from crime scene are also examined in this division to ascertain whether the sample contains any poisonous substance and its nature. Toxicology division also examines poisoning cases relating to wild life death like Elephant, Tiger, Rhino, and Deer etc.

In certain cases of ingestion of unknown drugs/unconsciousness if doctor unable to diagnose the cause then blood sample, urine sample and gastric wash are send to Toxicology division and this division on priority basis analyzed the samples and communicate the result to concern nursing home/hospital so that right treatment can be given to patients.