Forensic staff reach crime scene by bus. That's no accident

BENGALURU: Be it the recent bomb blast at the court complex in Mysuru or a murder scene in Kolar, a typical forensic assistant from the Forensic Science Laboratory ( FSL) in Madiwala is on the road at least four times a week. After all, more than half of Karnataka's forensic science personnel work in Bengaluru.

Second-division clerks and attendants -categorised as curricular staff -go from one crime scene to another collecting blood samples, strands of hair, fingernails and other crucial pieces of evidence. Unless this is done, the police cannot com mence an inquest into crimes.

The scientific staff -which includes scientists and first-division clerks -also undertake the same amount of travel but in the relative comfort of sleeper coaches, something that is denied to the second-division workers. The curricular staff have no choice but work through sleepless nights as they are entitled to travel in ordinary buses, known colloquially as the `red bus'.

For the staffers, though, outdated rules deprive them of a good night's sleep, which that affects their health and work. "The slabs are fixed according to their salary . If the crime spot is nearby, they can use department vehicles. A faraway place means taking the bus," said RR Nayak, assistant director at the FSL.

Kar nataka has five FSLs in Bengaluru, Mysuru, Mangaluru, Kalaburagi and Dharwad. The total strength across the five laboratories is 180, of which 94 are in Bengaluru. "Due to the staff crunch, we are asked to go to crime spots in various parts of the state. We can't afford to be late, because delays could contaminate the crime scene and evidence could get destroyed," said an employee on the condition of anonymity.

The Home Department recently rejected a request from FSL staff that they be allowed sleeper coaches."The Karnataka Civil Services Rules do not allow them to avail sleeper bus services," Additional DGP (Crimes and Technical Services) Bhaskar Rao said. "We have discussed the matter with the home minister," he said adding that the department is considering an amendment to allow travel in sleeper coaches.