Ahmedabad: A 10-member team from the National Forensic Sciences University (NFSU) in Gandhinagar left for Kathmandu on Saturday evening by air. The team will set up a makeshift lab to collect biological samples from the victims’ bodies and create DNA profiles so that the bodies could be handed over to the relatives.The devastating floods in Nepal have claimed over 600 lives while over 2,000 persons are missing as of Saturday evening.Dr J M Vyas, vice-chancellor of NFSU, told TOI that the team was formed under the leadership of COE DNA forensics head Bhargav Patel after a directive from the ministry of external affairs and Union home ministry.“The team will work in coordination with the Centre’s ongoing relief and rescue efforts. The team will reach Nepal and will assess the situation. If required, a makeshift lab will be created, and the samples will be processed at NFSU. The effort is to provide closure to the relatives of the victims,” he said.NFSU along with Directorate of Forensic Sciences, Gujarat was entrusted with identification of the victims of the AI171 airplane crash in Ahmedabad. Experts matched victims’ DNA retrieved from the crash site with blood samples from close relatives to identify and hand over the bodies.
