Disaster Victim Identification (DVI)

NDMA has released India’s First National Guidelines on Disaster Victim Identification (DVI). Read here to learn more.

The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has released India’s first-ever national guidelines and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for Disaster Victim Identification (DVI), titled “National Disaster Management Guidelines on Comprehensive Disaster Victim Identification and Management”.

The release coincides with 25 years of the 2001 Gujarat earthquake, underscoring the institutional learning India has accumulated from mass fatality disasters over the past two decades.

The guidelines mark a paradigm shift in disaster governance, recognising that disaster response does not end with rescue and relief, but extends to the scientific identification of victims, the dignity of the dead, legal closure, and psychological healing of families.

Why Were Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) Guidelines Needed?

India has witnessed a series of high-casualty disasters in recent years, such as the Air India crash in Ahmedabad, the Sangareddy chemical factory explosion, the Uttarakhand flash floods, and the Delhi car bomb blast near the Red Fort, where identification of victims posed severe challenges.

Key gaps exposed include:

• Absence of uniform SOPs for victim identification
• Over-reliance on visual identification, which fails in severe trauma or decomposition
• Shortage of trained forensic manpower and infrastructure
• Delays in handing over bodies, causing legal uncertainty and emotional distress

The guidelines respond to a humanitarian, legal, and constitutional imperative, ensuring dignity in death as an extension of Article 21 (Right to Life and Dignity).

Key Provisions of NDMA Disaster Victim Identification Guidelines

1. Four-Stage Scientific Identification Protocol

The guidelines mandate a standardised four-stage process to prevent misidentification:

• Systematic Recovery
  • Careful and documented retrieval of human remains from disaster sites
  • Use of tagging and geo-referencing to maintain the chain of custody
• Post-Mortem Data Collection
  • Collection of fingerprints, DNA, dental records, scars, implants, and physical markers
• Ante-Mortem Data Collection
  • Gathering medical, dental, and personal records from families
  • Photographs, surgical histories, and distinguishing features
• Reconciliation
  • Scientific matching of ante-mortem and post-mortem data
  • Identity confirmation before release of remains

This approach aligns with INTERPOL’s global DVI standards, adapted to Indian conditions.

2. National Dental Data Registry

A landmark recommendation is the creation of a National Dental Data Registry.

• Teeth and jaws are among the most durable biological materials, surviving fires, explosions, and decomposition
• Dental records enable identification even when fingerprints and facial features are destroyed
• Particularly relevant for aviation accidents, fires, and industrial explosions

3. Advanced Forensic Techniques

• Forensic Archaeology: Enables identification of remains buried under debris or recovered months/years later
• Forensic Odontology: Strengthened use of dental analysis as a primary identifier
• Recognition that modern disasters require multidisciplinary forensic science, not ad-hoc policing

4. No Mass Autopsies in Mass Fatality Events

• Physical autopsies are discouraged unless legally or medically necessary
• Focus is on non-invasive, evidence-based identification
• Reduces delays, respects religious sentiments, and prevents unnecessary trauma

5. Cultural Sensitivity and Family Support

• Identification and handover must respect religious and cultural customs
• Mandatory psychosocial counselling for families
• Clear communication protocols to avoid misinformation and distress

6. Implementation Framework

• Creation of specialised state-level DVI teams
• Training of forensic experts across disciplines (DNA, odontology, archaeology)
• Capacity building for complex scenarios such as landslides, floods, and unregistered travel

Significance of the Guidelines

• Strengthens institutional preparedness in disaster governance
• Upholds human dignity, legal rights, and ethical standards
• Integrates science, technology, and humanitarian values
• Addresses India-specific risks from climate-induced disasters, urbanisation, and industrial hazards
• Moves disaster management from relief-centric to rights-based governance

Challenges in Disaster Victim Identification

Despite the guidelines, several structural challenges persist:

• Rapid decomposition due to India’s hot and humid climate
• Severely damaged remains (charred, fragmented, commingled)
• Displacement of bodies in floods and landslides
• Acute shortage of mortuary space, cold storage, and transport
• Poor inter-agency coordination at disaster sites
• Absence of centralised pre-disaster biometric databases

Measures to Further Strengthen DVI in India

1. Pre-Disaster Public Data Repository

• Link Ayushman Bharat Health Account (ABHA) with optional dental scans and implant data
• Enables real-time use of the proposed Dental Registry

2. Digital and AI-based Forensics

• Use of smartphones, wearables, and cloud health data for rapid preliminary identification
• AI-based facial reconstruction from skull remains for faster matching

3. Portable DNA Laboratories

• Deploy Rapid DNA machines at disaster sites
• Generate DNA profiles within 90 minutes, reducing delays for families

4. Tamper-Proof Chain of Custody

• Use blockchain-based ledgers to track samples and records
• Ensures legal admissibility and prevents allegations of tampering

5. International DVI Cooperation

• Pre-signed DVI agreements with neighbouring and tourist-source countries
• Enables instant sharing of biometric and DNA data during cross-border disasters

Conclusion

The NDMA’s Disaster Victim Identification guidelines represent a historic shift from ad-hoc disaster response to a scientific, ethical, and rights-based framework.

By institutionalising standards such as the four-stage identification process and proposing a National Dental Data Registry, India places the dignity of the dead and the need for closure for families at the heart of disaster governance.

As climate change, urban risks, and industrial hazards intensify, the success of these guidelines will depend on capacity building, inter-agency coordination, and integration of digital forensics, ensuring that even in the aftermath of tragedy, the State responds with humanity, precision, and accountability.

Read: 

• National Disaster Management Plan 2016
• National Disaster Management Plan for Animals