World’s first forensic science varsity in state to get Israeli support: Modi

Besides Israel,two universities — University of Florida in the US and Hydersfield University of UK — are also likely to tie up with the Gandhinagar-based GFSU.

Claiming that Gujarat had taken the lead in setting up the first forensic university of the world,Modi said Israelis had contacted him immediately after the media publicised the state government’s decision to set up the university about a year ago.

Stating that passouts from the university will help in solving criminal cases and increase conviction rates,Modi hoped that the nano technology department of the university would come out with a technology to prepare bullet-proof jackets to protect the life of jawans fighting naxalites and terrorists.

Modi said special skill is required for tackling offences like cyber crime. He added that with trained students,criminals could be easily traced and apprehended.

Meanwhile,Chief Justice of Gujarat High Court,Justice K S Radhakrishnan said that conviction rates in murder,rape and other criminal offences are very low in the absence of sufficient evidence.

Quoting figures from National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) for 2007,he said the conviction rate in murder,rape,kidnapping,and dowry deaths was 35.5 per cent,26.4 per cent,25 per cent and 33 per cent respectively.

In cases pertaining to counterfeit currency,the conviction rate was only 31 per cent,and in riot cases,it was very low at merely 19 per cent.

The basic reason for low conviction rate,he said,was the absence of good forensic science management system in the country to aid the criminal justice system.

But he hoped that the strengthening of forensic laboratories would solve this and lead to a rise in conviction rates.

GFSU Director General J M Vyas,said the university would begin functioning with a batch of 103 students from Wednesday. The first orientation lecture will be delivered by Swami Viditatmanandji Saraswati.

Among the students is a German national. On the occasion,a book titled Crime Scene Management authored by forensic expert M S Dahiya was also released.