Kohima: The Rising People’s Party (RPP) has submitted an urgent appeal to the Chief Minister of Nagaland, calling for the establishment of an independent Directorate of Forensic Sciences in the state, citing the poor condition of existing forensic infrastructure and growing delays in justice delivery.
In its letter signed its president Joel Naga, the party highlighted the brutal murder of a woman in Pimla as a grim reminder of the urgent need for systemic forensic reform. The case remains unresolved, allegedly due to delays in forensic analysis and the absence of a robust and independent forensic mechanism in the state.
According to the party, evidence in criminal cases is at risk of contamination or degradation during transit, with Nagaland currently depending heavily on overburdened external laboratories. This reliance, the party said, has stalled multiple investigations and jeopardized justice for victims and their families.
The RPP said the Nagaland Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL), first established in 1982 and later relocated to Goan Kachari in Dimapur in 2018, remains critically understaffed and poorly equipped, despite government assurances. Referring to a government letter dated December 7, 2017 (No. POL/2-15/81/PR), the RPP pointed out that while nine scientific posts were sanctioned, none have been filled, leaving the laboratory dependent on untrained police personnel to handle sensitive evidence.
The party argued that this not only undermines the integrity of investigations but also violates the intent of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) 2024, which mandates forensic evidence in crimes punishable by seven years or more.
The current arrangement, under which the FSL functions within the Police Department, raises concerns about scientific impartiality and administrative independence.
The RPP emphasised that forensic science must be led by qualified experts—not short-term crash course holders or police officers—and operate free from administrative constraints. It lamented that, while other states have made strides in modernizing their forensic infrastructure, Nagaland’s remains stagnant despite having a pool of qualified professionals, including PhD and NET/FACT-certified individuals, ready to serve.
To address these concerns, the RPP called for the establishment of an autonomous Directorate of Forensic Science and Research, staffed by scientists and subject-matter specialists recruited through the Nagaland Public Service Commission (NPSC).
It further urged the state government to expedite recruitment without delay, expand the forensic lab’s capabilities to include DNA analysis, toxicology, and digital forensics, and leverage funding support offered by the Ministry of Home Affairs under its 2022 directive.
Describing the Pimla case as not an isolated incident but a symptom of decades of systemic neglect, the RPP said every delayed report, every outsourced analysis, and every compromised piece of evidence erodes public trust and denies justice to victims. The party concluded its appeal by urging the government to act immediately, not only to ensure compliance with the BNSS 2024 but also to restore public confidence and uphold the principle of justice in Nagaland.
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