Forensic Microbiology in India: A missing piece in the puzzle of criminal investigation system

Abstract

Background: Forensic Microbiology is an emerging branch of science that has great potential to assist criminal investigations. Having said that, microbial analysis is not performed routinely during forensic investigations in India. This could be attributed to lack of specific training and lack of evidence-based standard protocol.

Objectives: The authors attempt to highlight the key areas in forensic microbiology that need to be explored in a developing nation like India.

Content: Forensic microbiology could help in linking a person to a crime, determining the cause of death, estimating postmortem interval (PMI), etc. Additionally, applications are being developed by forensic microbiologists across the globe to investigate the coordinated and dynamic changes in microbial activity which occur after the death of a human host. Such evidence from the human postmortem microbiome can aid in criminal investigations and administration of justice. These recent advances and developments have the potential to transform the field of forensic microbiology in a developing country.

Keywords: Forensic microbiology; Identification; Postmortem interval; SIDS; Trace evidence.