Department of Forensic Medicine & Toxicology, AIIMS Kalyani

The department of FMT at AIIMS Kalyani has been in operation since 2020. The department’s first faculty member, Dr. Rajanikanta Swain, joined as an Assistant Professor. Under his guidance and leadership, the department progressed on the path of development. Following that, Dr. Ninad Nagrale, who possesses an enthusiastic, energetic, and dynamic personality, joined as an Associate Professor and took over from Dr. Rajanikanta Swain, to become the faculty in charge of the department. Dr. Venkatesh J has recently joined the department as an Assistant Professor. Having completed his postgraduate training from JIPMER Pondicherry and Senior Residency from AIIMS New Delhi, he is interested in expanding the scope of the department to fulfill its mandate of catering to the medicolegal requirements of the surrounding regions.

MBBS teaching, as well as training for SR, JR, and tutors, has taken place and continues in the department. The MD (FMT) course is scheduled to start very shortly and permission has been sought for the same. The department’s clinical forensic medicine services have been provided with the responsibility of legal issues associated with people visiting AIIMS Kalyani for diagnosis, management, and treatment.

A state-of-the-art mortuary complex is near completion and future expansion plans are on the anvil. Techniques like virtual autopsy are planned to be started to provide the latest cutting-edge facilities for aiding in the day-to-day forensic workload. A separate histopathology laboratory for forensic investigations is currently being set up. The department envisages becoming a cutting-edge forensic medicine department, and AIIMS Kalyani should be regarded as a model for other national and international institutions.

The department has also developed Standard Operating Procedures for the handling of routine medicolegal cases in the hospital, which was released recently. This manual will be very helpful for medical officers working in various departments who have to deal with medicolegal issues during their duty hours. The Department is actively pursuing research in diatom tests in cases of drowning, examination of hair, jute and animal fibers, etc.