Workshop on Drug Analysis organised at Forensic Science Lab, Junga

A one-day workshop on drug analysis was organized at the Himachal Pradesh Directorate of Forensic Services, Junga. The workshop aimed to strengthen scientific capabilities in the field of forensic drug testing and to develop uniform scientific standards for drug analysis across all forensic science laboratories in the state.
In her address, Dr. Meenakshi Mahajan, Director of Forensic Services, inaugurated the workshop, stating that the workshop was organized in compliance with the directives issued by Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu during the 7th National Narcotics Coordination Meeting. She added that further strengthening the scientific and evidence-based investigation system is essential to effectively address the growing drug problem in the state.
Dr. Mahajan stated that forensic science plays a vital role in providing accurate, reliable, and court-admissible scientific evidence to law enforcement agencies and the criminal justice system. He emphasized the need to adopt standardized procedures in the field of forensic toxicology to ensure quality, uniformity, and reliability in laboratory testing and reporting.
Dr. Mahajan further stated that the Himachal Pradesh government has approved the establishment of three dedicated drug testing laboratories in Baddi, Una, and Nurpur. These laboratories will enable rapid and scientific analysis of biological samples to detect drug abuse.
The keynote technical speaker for the workshop was Dr. A.K. Jaiswal, Scientist-cum-Senior Chemist, Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi. He shared his expert views on the latest scientific advances, modern analytical techniques, quality control measures, and laboratory best practices in the field of forensic drug analysis.
Forensic experts and scientific officers from the State Forensic Science Laboratory, Junga, the Regional Forensic Science Laboratory, Northern Zone, Dharamshala, and the Regional Forensic Science Laboratory, Central Zone, Mandi, actively participated in this workshop. The workshop included detailed discussions on developing a uniform standard operating procedure for the qualitative and quantitative analysis of narcotics, psychotropic substances, toxins, and their metabolites in biological samples and viscera.
Dr. S.K. Pal, spokesperson, said that the Directorate is committed to continuously enhancing the professional competence of forensic scientists, strengthening laboratory infrastructure and adopting globally accepted scientific standards to provide high quality forensic services to law enforcement agencies and the justice system.