A recent data published by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) stipulates that the figures are higher in states and union territories that have a higher population size than those that are not as crowded. For example, in the states of Maharashtra and Rajasthan, 70,056 and 33,067 people reportedly went missing as compared to smaller states such as Mizoram and Ladakh. The identification of these unidentified corpses poses a major challenge for the local law enforcement agencies in identification due to traditional practice and lack of funds and infrastructure and therefore posing a challenge in solving the cases of missing persons. To solve this important public health issue, India needs a comprehensive database and identification portal that provides information about missing people and unidentified bodies. This would make it easier for investigators and families to facilitate the efforts in search of their loved ones.
India’s first identification portal and DNA database—UMID (Unidentified Bodies, Missing Persons, Identification portal and DNA Database) aims to fill this gap by providing both phenotypic (physical appearance) and genotypic (genetic) information of unidentified bodies. This information is collected during the postmortem procedure which is conducted at the Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology at AIIMS, New Delhi, a hospital which largely caters to districts of South and Southeast Delhi.
This expanded UMID project, funded by the Indian Council of Medical Research, is being carried out by the DNA Fingerprinting Laboratory at the Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, AIIMS, New Delhi. This database encompasses data from AIIMS, New Delhi, and six other participating centers across the country, as shown below. Two other collaborating centers, along with the Biology Division of the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL), CBI, Delhi, and the NFSU Delhi campus, are also providing assistance for the project.
Over thousands DNA profiles of unidentified bodies were generated and securely stored in a DNA database, along with their phenotypic details (questioned database), available on the website to assist individuals searching for their loved ones. Biological samples are collected at our all the seven centers with the consent of the investigating officer, however, they are sent to AIIMS, New Delhi (coordinating centers) for STR profiling (genotyping) and uploaded to the database. By streamlining access to vital information, we hope to facilitate the identification process and ensure that every life, regardless of circumstances, is recognized and remembered.