Army to create database of DNA profiles of its soldiers
Indian Army soldiers will have their DNA profile stored in a data-bank under a project launched by the Armed Forces Medical Services that will facilitate identification of bodies during any operation, attack or mishap.
Defence minister A.K. Antony, in a written reply in the Lok Sabha on Monday, said a pilot project is in progress at Armed Forces Medical College, Pune, to conduct DNA profile of soldiers and develop necessary protocol for identifying them from their body tissues. The strength of the Indian Army is around 1.1 million.
“The objectives of the project are to devise a protocol for collection, preservation and transportation of blood samples of the soldiers, maintain absolute accuracy in personal information and tagging of specimen and to devise protocol for procedure for identifying service personnel from any fragment of body tissue,” he said.
The project “Development of Protocol for DNA Profiling (Identification) and Repository of Personal of Armed Forces” has been approved by the AFMR Committee and the pilot project will be completed by 2014. It envisages collection of blood samples of the troops and analysis and confirmation of their tests for storing them in a DNA data bank.
DNA profiling is accepted as the most advanced and reliable method of establishing identity of living individuals as well as dead bodies and body remnants.
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J.S. verma, noted jurist, passes away
Age Correspondent
New Delhi, April 22
Former Chief Justice of India Jagdish Sharan Verma, who can take credit for being the architect of the country’s new anti-rape law, has died.
He had been in a Gurgaon hospital since Friday following liver failure and the end came late Monday night. He was 80.
The soft-spoken and respected legal luminary had become a Supreme Court judge in June 1989 and later served as CJI from March 1997 to January 1998.
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