Work orders issued; recruitment of scientific officers and assistants underway
The Government of Nagaland has approved the procurement of mobile forensic vans for all districts, with work orders already issued and the process underway, Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) Sandeep M. Tamgadge said on Tuesday.
Speaking at a press conference in Kohima, Tamgadge said that Nagaland’s central forensic laboratory in Dimapur, along with the upcoming district forensic vans, will help meet the state’s immediate requirements once deployed. He noted that even larger states do not have forensic facilities at the district level and added that the vans would help address demands created by the mandatory crime scene visitation required under the new criminal laws.
With these mandates now in place, the government is creating additional posts for scientific officers and scientific assistants. “Once these developments are fully implemented, the requirement of forensics would be taken care of in the state,” Tamgadge said.
Director General of Police Rupin Sharma said Nagaland Police had previously prioritised the armed police component over the district executive force and investigation units. “Forensic work comes in when there is a focus on investigation-related work, and that is just coming in,” he said.
He acknowledged that having only one forensic team in Dimapur creates logistical challenges, especially for offences requiring mandatory forensic visits under the new criminal laws. The department, he said, will submit proposals to the government to ensure timely crime scene visits, including placing personnel in districts to reduce travel time.
Sharma added that around 40–50% of cases in the state do not require mandatory forensic visits, and that the existing lab in Dimapur keeps the police “decently placed” to handle the current workload.
The decision follows years of repeated calls from citizens, civil society groups, student organisations, and local councils across the state urging the government to establish proper forensic infrastructure. Many of these appeals arose after high-profile murders and suspicious deaths went unsolved for months due to delays in forensic testing and evidence transfer.
In recent years, the Association of Kohima Municipal Wards Council (AKMWC), the Nagaland Forensic Science Association (NFSA), and various district-level organizations have publicly demanded a fully functional laboratory in Kohima or additional regional facilities beyond Dimapur. Several bodies cited cases where the absence of timely forensic support had stalled investigations and shaken public confidence in the justice system.
The National People’s Party (Nagaland unit) also recently highlighted that forensic limitations were hampering criminal investigations, particularly in homicide and sexual assault cases, where evidentiary delays could compromise trials.
