Talk with Dr. Khushali Joshi

Disaster Victim Identification Quiz Crafted by-

Dr. Khushali Joshi

Forensic Expert, Representative IEIFcursos Institution,

Brazil

Introduction to Disaster Victim Identification

Mass fatality incidents can occur due to an environmental, medical, vehicle, industrial or terrorist event. They can be major, mass or catastrophic in size and generally involve large numbers of victims. Identification of these victims is of upmost importance in these situations for legal and compassionate reasons. Identification of the deceased after a mass fatality event is not a quick and easy process. The aim of the process is to correctly identify the deceased victims of a disaster or incident where there are multiple fatalities or where the identity of deceased victims is in dispute before returning them to their respective families.

The process can be long and involved due the nature of the event and the need to correctly identify the victim. The risk of mis-identification of an individual can bring into question all identifications and heighten the trauma of what is an already stressful situation. The process of DVI involves a range of forensic science techniques used to make a positive identification of the deceased victims.

Here’s the short interview of Quiz maker

On behalf of Sherlock Institute of Forensic Science we had a short interview with Dr. Khushali Joshi and here is what she says to all the student community and life time learners.

1. First of all please share your experiences with us while crafting this amazing quiz? What you wanted to impart on people?

It was really a very good experience to craft this quiz and interact with volunteer. This is a very innovative idea to make students aware and interested in various topics of forensics. In this pandemic era where institutions are not able to teach students directly this is a good initiative to continue students their zeal towards the field. So, I like to convey to all students that keep on learning and add skills whatever way is possible. Consider this situation as opportunity to learn more and grow more.

2. How do you define disaster according to you.

Natural disaster is always an unfortunate event, but other than this whatever disaster occurs like accidental, industrial or manmade, those are always a result of negligence. So it is always true that if there is failing in preparedness it is always leads to failing to prevent the disaster.

3. When we have a high explosion disaster it’s very obvious for body parts to be commingled. Is there a specific protocol for separating and identifying the samples?

That is absolutely true that when there is a high explosion always there is a chance of body parts to commingle. In such situation all the body parts should be collected and should be paced separately in cardboard boxes and labeled properly. After that all body tissue subjected to DNA analysis to establish the identity with the deceased person.

4. In a thickly populated country like India. How important is it to have a DVI team?

Whenever a disaster happens, thousands of people lose their lives. During this time of crisis, identification and reconstruction of bodies become the toughest task for forensic experts. So in such situation it is very important to have a DVI team and so that Indian government is having a department named national disaster management authority [NDMA] and they will collaborate soon with AIIMS to have proper dedicated disaster victim identification (DVI) team.

This DVI team will be headed by NDMA. It will have forensic experts, coordinator from police, panel of doctors, experts from law and NGOs to look after dignified management of dead.

5. Would you like to elaborate on any DVI work, you had taken yourself?

I have been working as medical intern during my graduation period and at that time I worked a medical help responder during a flood situation at a small village of Gujarat where more than 12 people died and more than 30 people were injured.