File picture of an AK-47 assault rifle

Jan. 4: Ever wanted to have a close look at AK-47s, AK-56s, ephedrine and other dangerous objects? Come Tuesday and none can prevent your eyes from feasting on the forbidden playthings.

For the first time in its history, the Forensic Science Laboratory at Kahilipara will throw open its gates to public on Tuesday as part of its Forensic Awareness Week programme.

Its aim is to help people understand the importance of work done by the laboratory, which is inaccessible to commoners.

Director of the laboratory R.. Dutta said people from all sections of society could come forward and interact with scientists and technical personnel of the laboratory on various aspects of forensic science. The laboratory was established in 1967 at Shillong and later shifted to Guwahati in 1969.

“The people will be able to see brown sugar, arms or other things which they hear about, but have never seen,” Dutta said.

He said equipment like gas chromatography, high performance liquid chromatograph, large forensic comparison microscope and so on, which are used for scientific investigation of crimes, would also be on display.

The United Nations Drug Control Programme (UNDCP) has identified the laboratory as the referral laboratory for analysing samples of narcotic drugs seized by any of the Southeast Asian countries.

The city-based laboratory will build up a computerised database on the origin of the banned substances and carry our research on how these substances are being pushed into market through intricate networks of the drug cartels.

State-of-the-art equipment has already been supplied to the laboratory, which will help in automatic analysis on the computer with data storage facility. As of now, the laboratory has 11 divisions — physics, chemistry, drugs and narcotics, biology, serology, toxicology, ballistics, explosives, questioned documents, photography and instrumentation.

Two new divisions — DNA and cyber crime — will be opened shortly. Personnel have already been trained in this regard and the laboratory is awaiting the equipment to arrive.

Officials said fake cosmetics and inks used for preparation of counterfeit currencies would also be displayed for public view. Dutta said scientists of the laboratory had done a commendable job by identifying the fake ingredients used for the preparation of cosmetics and pharmaceutical products and helped investigation in busting such rackets.

Besides detecting frauds in important documents, scientists of the questioned documents division have been successful in detecting large number of counterfeit currencies of both Indian and foreign countries and guiding the investigating agencies in busting such rackets.

Officials said the drugs and narcotics division had been instrumental in providing clues to the investigating agencies to combat drug trafficking. Precursor chemicals, which are gaining importance in the illicit trade for preparation of illegal drugs, are identified and reported by this division which helps the investigating agencies in combating drugs trafficking.