Round-the-clock DNA profiling underway: FSL Gandhinagar Director explains complex process

The Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, has been operating around the clock to identify victims of the Ahmedabad plane crash through DNA profiling and matching.

Speaking to the media, FSL Director H.P. Sanghvi provided detailed insights into the intricate and time-intensive process of forensic identification.

“The entire process -- from collecting DNA samples of victims and their families to final matching -- is being carried out 24/7,” Sanghvi said.

Explaining the methodology, he outlined that DNA sampling is done using two primary methods. "The first involves collecting fresh blood samples from relatives, which is comparatively straightforward. However, the second method -- extracting DNA from the remains of the deceased -- is far more complex and demands precision," he said.

Samples taken from the deceased, such as bone or teeth, are meticulously cleaned to eliminate external contamination. “If the sample is a bone, it’s powdered. If it’s a tooth, it’s broken into small fragments and then powdered. The DNA is then isolated using specialised machines at a specific temperature,” Sanghvi explained. The extracted DNA is then subjected to quality and quantity analysis using RT-PCR machines. Only if the DNA meets quality thresholds are multiple copies created.

The DNA strands are then separated and run through sequencing machines to generate a full DNA profile. However, Sanghvi cautioned that even after following this rigorous process, if sufficient DNA alleles are not detected, the process must be repeated from the beginning. "Only when 23 alleles match between the victim and their family members can identification be confirmed," he said.

In father-son cases, additional Y-chromosome testing is conducted to establish identity. He emphasised the complexity of the work, stating, “Despite the technical challenges and time required, FSL has managed to identify a significant number of victims in record time with high accuracy.”

Meanwhile, the identity of former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani has been officially confirmed through DNA testing, three days after the catastrophic crash of Air India flight AI171. The confirmation came at 11.10 a.m. on Sunday, following intensive forensic analysis at the Gandhinagar FSL lab. Rupani’s remains will be flown from Ahmedabad to Rajkot via a chartered aircraft.

Sources close to the family revealed that Rupani had cancelled his ticket twice before confirming travel for June 12. He was initially assigned seat 11G in the same row as the lone survivor, Vishwas Kumar, but changed it at the last minute to 2D in business class. Though known to prefer business class, Rupani had chosen to fly economy this time to accompany the families of his close friends, Nitin Bhardwaj and Dhansukh Bhanderi.

The fatal crash occurred on the morning of June 12, when a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner en route to London crashed moments after taking off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. Of the 242 people on board, 241 were killed. Rupani, 68, was among them. Only one person -- 34-year-old Vishwas Kumar, originally from Vadodara and now a British citizen -- survived. The aircraft crashed into a building within the BJ Medical College campus in Meghaninagar, just over a kilometre from the runway.

A massive explosion followed, engulfing part of the hostel in flames. Among the casualties were several MBBS students residing in the building.