Headless torse case: Kin to wait longer for remains as DNA test hits roadblock

Priyanka was murdered by her husband Siddesh Gurav just five days after their wedding

The investigation into Priyanka Gurav's grisly murder by her husband and in-laws hit a temporary roadblock after officials from the forensic science laboratory (FSL) at Kalina said they did not have the right equipment to conduct DNA examination on the victim's dismembered body parts. However, the Director General of Police (Legal and Technical) has made it is very clear that no samples of Priyanka will be sent outside Maharashtra for conducting the DNA test.

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Priyanka's family will have to wait until the tests are complete and the reports are out, before they can claim her body and complete the last rites. "We haven't got Priyanka's remains for the last rites yet. We hope that the police will hand it over to us, once the DNA analysis report establish her identity," said Priyanka's sister, Kavita.

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mid-day had reported earlier that the Rabale MIDC police, while investigating the case, found Priyanka's body in three parts, all dumped at different locations. The torso was the first to be found, and was identified as Priyanka's after Kavita saw a mid-day report and identified her Ganesh-Om tattoo on the shoulder.

Third attempt
When the Kalina FSL said they did not have the facility to do a DNA match between the body parts and Priyanka's siblings, the Rabale MIDC police then approached the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) at Hyderabad. In fact, this was third lab they tried, after the central lab at Delhi suffered some technical issues. Priyanka's siblings were also scheduled to fly to Delhi yesterday, but the plan was then cancelled.

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Furious to learn that the samples were to be sent to Hyderabad, DGP SP Yadav said, "Under no circumstances will the police send the samples to any laboratory outside Maharashtra for DNA analysis. The testing has to be done at the Kalina FSL, and if they do not have required kit or expertise, the FSL director should ensure that the same is procured. I will speak to the FSL director on Thursday morning and will ensure that he does the DNA testing at Kalina."

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Dr KV Kulkarni, director, Kalina FSL, tried to down play the issue stating, "I was at the Mantralaya and I feel there might be some misunderstanding between the investigating police official and the concerned department head from the DNA section. We will do the needful in this case and will ensure that the samples are tested at Kalina."

Money matters
A former director from the state FSL said, "Usually, when these tests come to us from other states, we charge anywhere between Rs 25,000 to Rs 30,000. If the sample is sent to Hyderabad, they will also charge us. In this case, where siblings' DNA need to be matched, it will be a bit difficult, but not impossible."

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A police officer from Rabale MIDC said, "We will be more than happy to approach the Kalina FSL laboratory than going out of Maharashtra. I will send my officer to discuss the issue with the FSL officials as soon as possible."