DNA tests to identify nine who died in chopper crash

Grief-stricken families of nine ITBP/NDRF rescuers who died in an IAF chopper crash in Uttarakhand will have to wait longer before they receive the bodies of their near ones. Unable to identify these bodies, the government on Saturday sent DNA samples of the victims' blood relatives to a central forensic lab in Hyderabad to help find matches. Bodies of seven dead personnel are in a mortuary at the Himalayan Institute Hospital, Jolly Grant, Dehradun, two others are yet to be retrieved from the crash site near Gaurikund. The ITBP has deployed mountaineers to locate them.

"We've requested the Centre for DNA Finger Printing and Diagnostic, Hyderabad, to give its report early so that the bodies can be handed over to the families," ITBP chief Ajay Chadha said. The report could be available within a week. Bodies of 11 of the 20 crash victims have, so far, been handed over to the family members. Five of these belonged to that of the IAF personnel, four to NDRF men and two to ITBP jawans.

Sunday 30 June 2013

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/DNA-tests-to-identify-nine-who-died-in-chopper-crash/articleshow/20837736.cms