FSL Director Rubbishes Rumours After Fire at Nampally Forensic Lab
Shikha Goyal clarifies no key evidence was destroyed, says all crucial case materials were already submitted to courts
Hyderabad: Telangana Forensic Science Laboratory director Shikha Goel on Sunday said that the Saturday fire at the forensic science laboratory has partially damaged computers and equipment, training hall and other facilities located on the first floor of the building. She said most evidence has been retrieved, but some were partially damaged.
The director said the fire accident occurred at the Forensic Science Laboratory at around 10.08 am. It was first noticed by Sai Krishna, an employee working in the computer forensic lab in TGFSL, who saw smoke coming out from the lab on the first floor. He alerted the staff present in the FSL and also informed the inspector of police at TGFSL.
Sai Krishna also used the fire extinguisher available in the room to douse the fire. A smoke alarm system installed on the first floor also set off a warning sound, she said, adding that fire tenders reached TGFSL within minutes and doused the fire under control at 1.30 pm.
She said most facilities at the FSL are fully functional, and if any facilities have suffered partial damage, they will be made functional very soon. “No loss of life or injury to any person has occurred in this incident.”
She said a large quantity of case documents have been retrieved and placed at a secured place and damage caused by the fire-accident is being assessed.
Goel said the Nampally police have registered a case with a crime number 48 of 2026, and have taken up the investigation. “A case has already been registered on FSL fire mishap after due investigation and the cause would be established at FSL. We are committed to maintaining the highest standards of professionalism, and relentlessly working to ensure that material objects in all cases available in the affected area are retrieved,” she said.
Observing that wild and preposterous speculations have been made in certain sections of the media including social media about the cause of this fire and loss of case properties, Shikha reiterated that most of the case properties have already been retrieved.
When Deccan Chronicle asked Goel if the police were probing the political angle, she refused to answer.
