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India has released its first-ever national guidelines and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) to address long-standing gaps in the identification of victims in mass fatality disasters, ensuring scientific accuracy, legal certainty, and humane treatment of families.
What is Disaster Victim Identification (DVI)?
Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) is a scientific, structured and multidisciplinary process used to identify deceased persons in mass fatality incidents, such as:
- Air and rail crashes
- Earthquakes, floods, landslides
- Fires and industrial accidents
- Terror attacks and explosions
The process culminates in the dignified and lawful handover of remains to families.
Institutions Involved
- National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) – Nodal agency issuing the guidelines
- National Forensic Sciences University (NFSU) – Technical and forensic expertise
- State police, health departments, forensic labs, emergency responders
- Guidelines aligned with INTERPOL’s global DVI framework
Aims of the DVI Guidelines
- Ensure accurate and error-free identification of victims
- Enable legal certification of death
- Provide timely, dignified closure to families
- Establish a uniform national protocol for mass fatality management
- Integrate modern forensic science and digital tools into disaster response
