Date : 03/2023

Country/Region : INDIA

Title : India, Gandhinagar : unmarked graves : a short course on forensic search and excavation

Duration : 00:06:44

Director : BHATIA, Ashish

Cameraman : BHATIA, Ashish

Editor : BHATIA, Ashish

Keyword : TRAINING; TESTIMONY; EXHUMATION; INTERVIEW; FORENSIC SCIENCE

Person appearing :
CONGRAM, Derek (staff member, ICRC)

Confidentiality level : public

Publication restrictions : reserved users only

Copyright : ICRC

Production company : ICRC

Commissioned production company : International Centre for Humanitarian Forensics; National Forensic Sciences University, Gujarat

ICRC producer :
BHATIA, Ashish

Description : The first course took place at the National Forensic Sciences University (NFSU) Gandhinagar Campus in February 2023. Twenty pathologists, police, odontologists and NFSU students – including past and present ICHF students – from India, Bhutan, Maldives, and Tanzania learned about how theory and methods of archaeology is used to find and investigate unmarked burial sites. During two and a half days, different experts, including all three members of the International Committee of the Red CRoss (ICRC) forensic team, ICHF Faculty, and IIT Professor Sharada Visweswara Channarayapatna lectured and led practical activities related to subjects including archaeological theory and methods, taphonomy (how things decompose), human dentition, and exhumations. The next two and half days were spent prospecting for possible burial locations, conducting controlled excavation and, when burials (of plastic teaching skeletons, also associated objects) were located, their careful exhumation. Participant feedback on the course was extremely positive, emphasizing that it was the first of its kind in India and the most common complaint was that the course was too short! The ICRC Communications team created a video summary of the course here.
The second short course organized by the ICHF was held at NFSU Delhi Campus and was directed by Mr Thomas Kimbriel, a forensic photographer. Over five days, NFSU graduate students and faculty, members of the Delhi Police and Maldives Police Service, and a forensic pathologist were taught about forensic photography with a focus on fingerprint macro photography. The main message of the course is this: fingerprints are the most common, reliable form of human identification and if we record these well, we will increase the number of bodies that are successfully identified by the authorities. Although bringing news to families of the death of a loved one is difficult and unpleasant, it is an important obligation both in peacetime and during armed conflict. Participants were so enthusiastic about the course and Mr Kimbriel that they are already planning follow-up training with larger groups.
These two short courses offered by the International Centre of Humanitarian Forensics – Forensic Search and Excavation of Unmarked Burials, and Forensic Fingerprint Photography – mark an important extension in the activities and services offered by the Centre. The Centre represents a bridge between academia and practice; the partnership that created the Centre, between National Forensic Sciences University and the International Committee of the Red Cross, is the first of its kind in the world. Through the Centre, we teach, promote, and use forensic science to address humanitarian emergencies in India and worldwide.

Original language : English

English title : India, Gandhinagar : unmarked graves : a short course on forensic search and excavation

Colour/B&W : colour

SD/HD : HD

Resolution : 1920 x 1080

Aspect ratio : 16/9

Original material/format : H264

Best material/format available : ProRes 422