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JAMMU, Jan 04: Consultative Committee Meeting of the Ministry of Home Affairs on NFSL–CFSU was held at Port Blair, Andaman & Nicobar Islands. The meeting was chaired by the Hon’ble Union Home Minister, Shri Amit Shah Ji, and was attended by Members of Parliament of the Consultative Committee, the Union Home Secretary, and other officials of the Ministry of Home Affairs.
During the meeting, Hon’ble Member of Parliament and Member of the Consultative Committee on Home Affairs, Chowdry Mohammad Ramzan, actively participated in the deliberations and highlighted key issues concerning the strengthening of forensic science infrastructure in the country, with particular emphasis on Jammu & Kashmir.
During the meeting, Chowdry Mohammad Ramzan highlighted the urgent need to strengthen forensic science and forensic laboratories across India, with special focus on Jammu & Kashmir, where timely forensic support is critical for justice, security, and lasting peace. He underlined that the region is witnessing a rise in complex crimes, including cyber crimes, drug trafficking, explosives, and weapon-related offences, which demand swift scientific investigation and evidence collection.
At present, much of the forensic workload from the region depends on CFSL Chandigarh, leading to delays that adversely affect trials, facilitate bail for accused persons, and erode public confidence in the justice system.
In this context, he emphasized that the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India has repeatedly affirmed that speedy trial is a fundamental right under Article 21, and that delays due to investigation gaps, lack of scientific evidence, or slow forensic reports are unacceptable; reliable and timely forensic evidence is essential for fair trials and lawful convictions. He further highlighted that India’s premier forensic university,the National Forensic Sciences University (NFSU), an Institution of National Importance under the Ministry of Home Affairs with headquarters at Gandhinagar, Gujarat, has limited training capacity relative to the needs of a nation of 1.42 billion people.
This constraint, he emphasized, reinforces the urgent case for establishing new NFSU campuses in strategic regions such as Jammu & Kashmir. Chowdry Mohammad Ramzan also drew special focus to the rapidly escalating drug abuse crisis in Jammu & Kashmir. Citing the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Social Justice and Empowerment (August 2023), he highlighted that nearly 13.5 lakh people in the UT are affected by substance abuse, including about 11.8 lakh adults and an alarming 1.68 lakh children (10–17 years).
He further referenced IMHANS, Srinagar (2023) findings that over 33,000 syringes are used daily by heroin-dependent persons in the Kashmir Valley alone, underscoring grave public health and security implications. He strongly emphasized the urgent expansion of rehabilitation and drug de-addiction centres, along with skill development and employment opportunities, to divert vulnerable youth away from drugs, crime, and social breakdown. To address these challenges, Hon’ble MP Chowdry Mohammad Ramzan proposed the establishment of a full-fledged NFSU in Jammu & Kashmir, with dedicated campuses in border districts including Kupwara, along with a modern forensic laboratory in the border districts—as sensitive border districts face unique security and cross-border challenges.
He noted that such an institution would provide state-of-the-art forensic training, create a skilled cadre of forensic professionals, generate employment, and offer productive avenues for youth, thereby discouraging involvement in crime, drug abuse, and other social menaces.
The Ministry assured the deployment of 23 mobile forensic units across Jammu & Kashmir, enabling rapid on-site crime-scene investigations, immediate evidence collection, and faster case processing.
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