North Bengal gets dedicated ballistics lab for faster firearm examinations

MP, August 12, 2026, Jalpaiguri : Police investigating firearm-related cases across North Bengal will no longer have to send seized weapons and spent cartridges to Kolkata for forensic examination, with a dedicated Physics Ballistics Laboratory becoming operational at the Regional Forensic Science Laboratory in Jalpaiguri.

Located in the Race Course area, the facility will provide forensic support to police in all eight districts of North Bengal.

Experts can examine firearms and ammunition to determine whether a shot was fired from a pistol, rifle, country-made firearm, revolver or other weapon.

Until now, such evidence had to be sent to the State Forensic Science Laboratory in Kolkata, often causing delays and logistical difficulties.

The new facility is expected to speed up ballistic examinations and help investigators obtain crucial scientific evidence faster.

The Physics Ballistics Laboratory has been added to the existing Regional Forensic Science Laboratory, which already has departments dealing with biology, chemistry, serology and toxicology.

Laboratory sources said firearms and spent cartridge cases can now be examined within a few hours in several cases.

Experts can also examine bullet impact or entry marks on vehicle windows, doors, shop shutters and other structures to determine whether the damage was caused by a gunshot.

Dr Mousumi Rakshit, Assistant Director of the Regional Forensic Science Laboratory, said the facility became operational in an extension room at the end of July.

“Examinations of firearms and ammunition have begun. Once some additional physics equipment arrives, it will also be possible to determine what type of firearm was used even when a bullet has passed through blood or the human body. The remaining equipment is expected to arrive soon,” she said.

Forensic experts are currently examining evidence linked to the recent shooting incident in Islampur.

Officials stressed that crime scenes must be secured until forensic samples are collected to prevent contamination or destruction of evidence.

Firearm-related incidents continue to be reported in Cooch Behar, Uttar Dinajpur and Malda, including robbery and snatching cases.

A senior North Bengal police officer welcomed the facility, saying that sending firearms and evidence to Kolkata was time-consuming and expensive.

Rakshit said the laboratory was ready to examine firearms and spent cartridges seized by police and provide scientific evidence in firearm-related cases across North Bengal.