Identifying the Unidentified: Is it Still a Difficult Problem?

Every day, a large number of missing reports are lodged in various police stations of the country and, on the other hand, a number of dead bodies are recovered with no identification marks/proof found them. Lack of proper facilities for preserving the body enhances decomposition at a faster rate, while State statutes mandating the disposal of the dead within 72 hours of death, 1, 2 fuels further the need for quick and hasty identification in the short time available to the authorities. In these circumstances, it is of immense importance to evolve a systematic procedure to trace the missing persons and to identify the unknown bodies. ‘Un-identification ’of these dead bodies on a larger scale could be the next major medical hazard across our metropolitan cities.