Bandra blaze: Forensic experts confirm only 7 deaths

The police records claim 11 people died in the major fire that gutted more than 1,200 shanties in the Behrampada area of Bandra (East) on June 18, but the forensic laboratory could confirm only seven deaths.

The police records claim 11 people died in the major fire that gutted more than 1,200 shanties in the Behrampada area of Bandra (East) on June 18, but the forensic laboratory could confirm only seven deaths.

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“We have sent the test results to the police,” said Dr MV Garad, director, directorate of Forensic Science Laboratory.

While three of the bodies were easily identified, the rest were identified only after chemical analysis, the officials said.

Officials at the forensic laboratory said the identification of the bodies could be made through the DNA analysis, a fool-proof method of identifying a person.

But four bodies were so badly charred that forensic experts could not conduct DNA tests on them.

The intensity of the fire can be gauged from the fact that severely charred skeletal remains were sent to the Kalina forensic laboratory for testing, making the probe difficult.

“We arrived at the figure of 11missing people based on the statements given by the families and locals,” said Senior Police Inspector Prashant Bagade of the Nirmal Nagar police station.

The police officials said there is a possibility that the four missing people may not have been at the spot when the fire broke out.

They added that identifying bodies is essential in case of mass destruction, like the 26/7 deluge when more than 500 people died. “The identification comes handy to the government, especially when handing out compensation to the victims,” said Dr Garad.