Guwahati, Aug 8: The Government of Assam has officially recognised the Wildlife Genetics Laboratory (WGL) of conservation NGO Aaranyak, along with its Director Udayan Borthakur, as a forensic authority under the newly enacted Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023.
This is the first time in Assam that a wildlife laboratory and expert have been accorded such recognition under the BNSS to support criminal investigations through DNA-based forensic evidence in wildlife offences.
The recognition follows an order issued by the Governor of Assam on August 4, with the Special Chief Secretary of the Environment, Forest and Climate Change Department formally notifying the designation. The move comes under Section 329(4) of BNSS, which allows the government to recognise scientific experts and facilities for forensic analysis.
Welcoming the recognition, Udayan Borthakur, who founded the Wildlife Genetics Lab in 2008, said, “This notification is both an honour and a great responsibility. It acknowledges nearly two decades of scientific work and reinforces the critical role that forensic genetics can play in combating wildlife crime.”
Borthakur emphasised that the designation will allow the laboratory to officially assist law enforcement and forest departments in gathering and analysing DNA evidence in poaching and trafficking cases. “This will significantly strengthen the prosecution process and help raise conviction rates in wildlife crime cases,” he noted.
Dr. Bibhab Kumar Talukdar, Secretary General and Executive Director of Aaranyak, expressed gratitude to the Assam Forest Department and the state government for placing faith in Aaranyak’s scientific capacity. “Our genetics lab has long complemented the government’s efforts to protect wildlife, and this notification empowers us to contribute more effectively to Assam’s conservation goals,” he said.
Established as the only conservation genetics and wildlife DNA forensics facility in northeast India, WGL Aaranyak has built a strong track record in the region and beyond. Since its inception, it has contributed to 135 wildlife crime investigations, providing expert DNA analysis and field sampling support to government agencies. It has also undertaken over two dozen research projects on the genetics of endangered species across India and internationally.
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